Two-dimensional materials are uniquely suited for the fabrication of Nano-Electromechanical Systems (NEMS). They combine high stiffness and strength with the ability to control mechanical resonance frequencies via externally applied forces.

We create 2D NEMS devices to explore the following:

• Phononic Crystals: We investigate patterned 2D materials as "phononic crystals"—artificial lattices that generate specific band structures for phonons. A key aspect is their electrical tunability. We explore localized defect modes in these crystals for storing classical or quantum information, as well as analogies between solid-state and on-demand phononic systems.
• Excitonic Sensing: We utilize NEMS devices as exquisite sensors capable of detecting fragile excitonic states inside 2D materials and heterostructures that may otherwise remain invisible.

Key papers:

[1] Kirchhof et al., Nano Lett 22, 8037 (2022).

[2] Kirchhof et al., Nano Lett. 21, 2174 (2021).