Phonon

Phonon: Recently, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, discovered a novel method to control the behavior of phonons, marking a major leap for future quantum and photonic technologies

• About Phonon: Are energy waves that travel through a material's crystal lattice during atomic vibrations.

o They are collective excitations in the elastic structure of condensed matter, similar to ripples in a pond.

o Play a crucial role in determining a material’s thermal, optical, and electronic properties.

o Essential for developing advanced optoelectronic devices and emerging quantum technologies.

• IISc's New Method: Researchers at IISc have found that by slightly twisting two layers of Tungsten Diselenide (WSe₂), a two-dimensional material, they can control how phonons behave.

  o Their study, published in ACS Nano, shows that moiré patterns (overlap structure) formed by twist angles between 1° and 7° cause the phonon modes to split, offering new ways to tune material properties.

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