Scientists Make Strange 2d Metals Sought for Future Technologies

Significance: GS III; Science and Tech; Emerging Technologies;

Why in the News?

A team of researchers from top Chinese scientific institutions has reported a major breakthrough in the creation of atomically thin 2D metal sheets like bismuth, gallium, indium, tin, and lead using a high-pressure sandwich method.

• This could lead to next-generation quantum and electronic technologies, including topological insulators.

Why did scientists make strange 2D metals?

• Scientific Interest was majorly associated with the metals like Bismuth, Tin, and Lead in 2D form which were studied for their electrical, magnetic, and quantum properties.
• The study is necessary because their special properties make them useful for Quantum Computing, Sensors, and Advanced electronics.
• Featurestically, the 2D metals are only one or two atoms thick, so electrons can move in just two dimensions (hence they are called 2D metals). Due to this, they behave as if they don’t have mass, for example, giving rise to properties not seen in other materials.

What was the exact process? Chinese scientists created 2D metals by sandwiching metal powder between two MoS₂-coated sapphire layers. MoS₂-coated sapphire layers refer to sapphire substrates (crystalline aluminum oxide) that have been coated with a thin film of molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), a two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor material. Key Properties of MoS₂: Electrical Behavior: Exhibits p-type semiconducting properties when grown on sapphire. Interlayer Coupling: MoS₂ interacts weakly with sapphire via van der Waals forces, preserving its electronic characteristics.   How is the layering done? MoS₂ is deposited onto sapphire using techniques like chemical vapor deposition (CVD), direct sulfurization, or sputtering. For Example, in CVD, the molybdenum (Mo) is evaporated onto sapphire, and then reacted with sulfur vapor to form MoS₂. The coating typically forms single-layer or few-layer MoS₂ (e.g., ~0.73 nm thick for a monolayer). The MoS₂ layer often adopts a hexagonal crystal structure aligned with the sapphire substrate. The structure is heated, twisted, and pressed to form ultra-thin sheets, then cooled and peeled off. MoS₂ and sapphire were chosen for their strength, smoothness, and low chemical reaction with metal. Significance: It combines sapphire’s thermal stability and insulating properties with MoS₂’s semiconducting behavior (e.g., high electron mobility). This can be used in advanced electronics, optoelectronics, or sensors due to MoS₂’s tunable bandgap and strong light-matter interaction.

What are the technologies involved in this Research?

• Quantum Dots: They are man-made nanoscale crystals celebrated for their unique optical and electronic properties. They can transport electrons and emit diverse colors when exposed to UV light.
• Quantum Confinement: In this process, the electrons in 2D metals were restricted to specific energy levels, similar to how they behave in atoms.
• Link to 2D Metals: In 2D metals, electrons are confined in two dimensions, changing conductivity, magnetism, and optical behaviour.

What are the key challenges in making 2D Metals?

• Scalability and Large-Area Synthesis: Producing high-quality, uniform 2D metal films over large areas is difficult, limiting industrial applications.
• Thickness and Layer Control: Achieving precise control over the number of layers and uniform thickness is technically challenging but essential for device performance.
• Defects and Contamination: High defect densities and contamination (e.g., from transfer processes or precursors) can degrade the properties and reliability of 2D metals.
• Integration and Interface Quality: Creating clean, well-controlled interfaces between 2D metals and other materials is challenging, affecting device fabrication and performance.

What are the key challenges in making 2D Metals?

• Scalability and Large-Area Synthesis: Producing high-quality, uniform 2D metal films over large areas is difficult, limiting industrial applications.
• Thickness and Layer Control: Achieving precise control over the number of layers and uniform thickness is technically challenging but essential for device performance.
• Defects and Contamination: High defect densities and contamination (e.g., from transfer processes or precursors) can degrade the properties and reliability of 2D metals.
• Integration and Interface Quality: Creating clean, well-controlled interfaces between 2D metals and other materials is challenging, affecting device fabrication and performance.

What is the present progress of India in this field? India is in the early but ambitious stages of advancing 2D metal and 2D material technologies. The IISc has submitted a detailed proposal to develop angstrom-scale semiconductor chips using 2D materials like Graphene and Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs), aiming to surpass current nanometer-scale technologies. While India’s efforts are significant, they lag behind major global investments: Europe has committed over $1 billion, South Korea over $300 million, and China and Japan have also made substantial but undisclosed investments in 2D material research.

Way Forward: India is actively pursuing 2D materials research with strong scientific proposals and government interest, but actual large-scale progress depends on timely funding and moving from deliberation to implementation, especially as global competition intensifies.

PYQ Relevance Mains: Q. How is science interwoven deeply with our lives? What are the striking changes in agriculture triggered by science-based technologies? (UPSC CSE 2020)   Prelims Graphene is frequently in the news recently. What is its importance?(UPSC 2012) 1. It is a two-dimensional material and has good electrical conductivity. 2. It is one of the thinnest but strongest materials tested so far. 3. It is entirely made of silicon and has high optical transparency. 4. It can be used as ‘conducting electrodes’ required for touch screens, LCDs and organic LEDs. Options: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 and 4 only (c) 1, 2 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

 

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