Scientists have developed a new optical method to detect tiny deformations in van der Waals (vdW) materials, which are known for their ability to withstand large strain fields. This method uses mid-infrared out-of-plane hyperbolic polaritons (oHPs) to identify interlayer deformations in materials like hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). By activating typically “dark” phonon modes through oHPs, researchers can detect atomic displacements as small as 10 picometers. This technique allows for non-destructive visualization of hidden stress landscapes with atomic precision, bridging the fields of nanomechanics and photonics. The method has been successfully tested on both planar hBN and quantum dot–hBN nanotube heterostructures, offering a new way to study materials at the atomic level.
QUESTION: How might the ability to detect such small deformations in materials impact future technological advancements?
Probing picometre-scale interlayer deformations via hyperbolic polaritons
