In physics, 2-dimensional systems are idealized physical systems whose relevant degrees of freedom are confined to a plane or an effectively two-dimensional manifold, such that dynamics and interactions occur predominantly within two spatial dimensions. They exhibit distinct phenomena compared with three-dimensional counterparts, including modified density of states, altered screening and fluctuation behavior, and dimensionality-dependent phase transitions (e.g., Kosterlitz–Thouless transitions mediated by topological defects). Examples include electrons in quantum wells or at interfaces, ultrathin films, and certain spin or lattice models defined on 2D lattices, which serve as fundamental platforms for studying critical phenomena, topological phases, and low-dimensional quantum many-body effects.
Scientists can learn a lot about a quantum material by watching how it responds to light. In magnetic semiconductors, one especially useful messenger is the exciton: a pairing of a negatively charged electron and the positively ...
Condensed Matter
Jun 18, 2026
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A newly developed method allows researchers to dynamically switch chirality—a particular lack of mirror symmetry—to generate spin currents in semiconductors, researchers from Science Tokyo report. Their approach relies on ...
Condensed Matter
Jun 17, 2026
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Physicists have long been drawn to the nonlinear Hall effect: a subtle variant of the classical Hall effect, in which an electric voltage appears perpendicular to a current flowing through a material. Unlike its classical ...
Neural interfaces are devices that can detect or modulate neuronal activity when placed in contact with the brain. They are already used to treat various conditions related to the nervous system. However, current technologies ...
Bio & Medicine
Jun 16, 2026
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As the global semiconductor industry enters the so-called 2-nanometer process era, the actual size of transistors—the core components of semiconductor chips—still remains above 10 nm. How much smaller, then, can transistors ...
Nanophysics
Jun 15, 2026
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One of the most fascinating aspects of physics is that nature often behaves in ways that seem completely counterintuitive. A good example comes from ultrathin materials. If I take a sheet of material and make it thinner ...
A recent study published in Nature Communications demonstrates precise control over electron spatial arrangement in two directions simultaneously—without any applied voltage—through interface engineering between semimetal ...
Condensed Matter
Jun 13, 2026
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Quantum materials, materials with properties that are governed by the laws of quantum mechanics, have proved to be highly promising for the development of ultra-efficient electronic devices, quantum processors, highly precise ...
Researchers at Kanazawa University, in collaboration with Diamond and Carbon Applications (Germany), have developed a buried-growth process for nitrogen–vacancy (NV) centers in diamond using microwave plasma chemical vapor ...
Plasma Physics
Jun 9, 2026
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Two-dimensional (2D) materials, which are significantly thinner than a single sheet of paper, have long drawn attention for their exceptional performance. However, they have faced a critical limitation: Their performance ...
Nanophysics
Jun 8, 2026
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