Graphene, a material made of carbon atoms arranged in an atomically thin sheet, continues to surprise scientists with its remarkable electronic properties, according to Xiaomeng Liu, assistant professor of physics in the College of Arts and Sciences. 

Liu and members of his research group have discovered that stacking six graphene layers in a rhombohedral arrangement – in which each graphene sheet is shifted slightly sideways from the one beneath it, like steps in a staircase – creates a versatile platform for exploring two unusual quantum phenomena: superconductivity and electrically controllable orbital magnetism.

These findings reveal how a seemingly simple carbon-based material can host a remarkably rich collection of quantum states, Liu said. They also establish rhombohedral multilayer graphene as a promising platform for investigating the fundamental mechanisms of superconductivity and magnetism. Potentially, it could be used to develop new ways of controlling quantum materials.

“Superconductivity and Ferroelectric Orbital Magnetism in Semimetallic Rhombohedral Hexalayer Graphene” was published in Nature Physics on Oct. 22. Co-first authors are Kavli postdoctoral associates Jinghao Deng and Hongyuan Li (a former Klarman Postdoctoral Fellow in A&S) and doctoral student Jiabin Xie. Liu is the corresponding author. 

Read the full story on the College of Arts and Sciences website.