CityUHK Researchers Unveil Vortex Electric Fields in 2D Materials

**Researchers from City University of Hong Kong** have made a breakthrough discovery of a _vortex electric field_ in twisted bilayer 2D materials. This advancement holds significant potential for the future of **electronics, quantum computing, spintronics, and nanotechnology**. Traditionally, creating a vortex electric field required complex and expensive techniques, but this new method is simpler and more cost-effective. The key innovation is an _ice-assisted transfer technique_ which allows for a clean interface and manipulation of the twisted bilayers at various angles, ranging from 0 to 60 degrees. These angles are critical as they lead to the formation of a **2D quasicrystal**, offering numerous benefits like stable memory effects, ultrafast computing speeds, and novel polarisable optical effects. The research, published in the journal _Science_, emphasizes the versatility of these structures due to the variable vortex electric fields they produce. Using **4D-TEM techniques** and interdisciplinary collaboration, the team successfully observed this phenomenon, marking a potential new era in nanotechnology and device applications.