Atomic sewing seamlessly joins 2D crystals
Mismatched crystal structures stitched together seamlessly to create atomically flat LED
Researchers have managed to perfectly join strips of two mismatched 2D crystals to create an atomically flat light-emitting diode (LED). What makes crystals different from amorphous solids is their highly ordered structure; each atom is precisely arranged. Trying to join chemically distinct crystals with unequal unit cell dimensions, however, is like trying to close a zip whose two halves have different sized teeth. Nevertheless, superlattices – layered structures comprising at least two different crystals – could be used as lasers, diodes and integrated circuit materials.