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.
A pulse of light sets the tempo in the material. Atoms in a crystalline sheet just a few atoms thick begin to move—not randomly, but in a coordinated rhythm, twisting and untwisting in sync like dancers following a beat.
Condensed Matter
Nov 12, 2025
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Materials scientists at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have found a way to create and control tiny "flaws" inside ultra-thin materials. These internal features, known as extended defects, could give next-generation ...
Nanomaterials
Nov 5, 2025
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Rice University researchers studying a class of atom-thin semiconductors known as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have discovered that light can trigger a physical shift in their atomic lattice, creating a tunable ...
Nanophysics
Nov 4, 2025
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Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a new atomically layered material which experiences a five order of magnitude resistivity reduction when oxidized, more than a hundred times the reduction seen ...
Nanomaterials
Nov 3, 2025
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Two-dimensional (2D) materials, sparked by the isolation of Nobel-prize-winning graphene in 2004, has revolutionized modern materials science by showing that electrical, optical, and mechanical behaviors can be tuned simply ...
Nanophysics
Oct 24, 2025
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Researchers have for the first time created a reconfigurable polariton 2D quasicrystal. The team from the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Iceland, ...
Optics & Photonics
Oct 23, 2025
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Two-dimensional (2D) materials, which are only a few atoms thick, are known to exhibit unique electrical, mechanical and optical properties, which differ considerably from the properties of bulk materials. Some recent studies ...
Researchers at University of Tsukuba have successfully measured electric fields near the surfaces of two-dimensional layered materials with femtosecond temporal and nanometer spatial resolution. They employed a diamond containing ...
Condensed Matter
Oct 20, 2025
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Metasurfaces are two-dimensional (2D), nanoengineered surfaces that interact strongly with electromagnetic waves and can control light with remarkable precision. These ultra-thin layers can be used to develop a wide range ...
In the right combinations and conditions, two-dimensional materials can host intriguing and potentially valuable quantum phases, like superconductivity and unique forms of magnetism. Why they occur, and how they can be controlled, ...
Condensed Matter
Oct 20, 2025
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