The “magic angle” in graphene is a discovery that will mark the future of semiconductors

Research focused on graphene continues at a good pace and there are more and more developments that could revolutionize the technology as we know it until now.

Graphene is one of the most interesting materials on the current scene. Over the last few years, different investigations have been carried out on graphene in order to unravel all its secrets.

And, is that, graphene could have a lot of applications in electronic devices. The latest thing that has been discovered has been the so-called “magic angle” that is generated by superimposing two sheets of graphene.

It may sound completely strange and, the truth, it is. But before getting into the matter, we must bear in mind that graphene has the properties of a two-dimensional material.

What has been done is cool two sheets of graphene just one atom thick to 1.7 degrees Celsius above absolute zero or -273 Kelvin to observe the behavior of the material.

Having cooled these two plates in this way, what has been observed is that blades rotate autonomously to an angle of 1.1 degrees. This is the angle that they have called magical.

One of the people to whom this discovery has to be attributed is Cao Yuan, a 25-year-old Ph.D. candidate in physics studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The interesting thing about this discovery is that these two sheets have shown an insulating behavior. But by integrating an electric current between these two sheets, the electricity was able to escape without any problem.

This may all sound too technical, but what is interesting about this are the applications that the “magic angle” can have on technology. And, it is that, in the search for materials with superconducting properties, graphene would be at the top of the list.

To give a much clearer example, if graphene were used to try to bring electricity to homes; the energy loss would be practically minimal and maximum efficiency could be achieved.

Of course, graphene and the “magic angle” could also be used to create semiconductors for quantum processors. And, it is that, the properties of superconductivity are essential for this type of device.

To date, research continues on graphene and it may be the promise that will revolutionize the technology sector. Of course, we will have to wait until we see how it is used in the real world.

At the moment nothing is clear, but expectations are high and more and more researchers are focused on trying to discover all the secrets of graphene and its possible applications.