A joint research team fabricated a two-dimensional structure that exhibits properties of both the honeycomb and Kagome lattices using organic molecules. They discovered that edge states specific to topological materials (states that exist only at the edges and are distinct from those in the interior) appear in this structure. The team included researchers from NIMS, Toyota Kosen (National Institute of Technology, Toyota College), Saga University, Nara Women's University, Kiel University (Germany) and other institutions.
While organic molecules allow for flexible structural design, it is difficult to bind the molecules together strongly through electronic coupling. Therefore, inorganic materials had mainly been used to synthesize topological materials. The team's success in realizing unique electronic states in an assembly of organic molecules (a supramolecular structure) paves the way for a new approach to designing quantum materials using organic molecules. This research was published in Nano Letters on Sept. 2, 2026.
To read more, click here.