The "2D materials: oxide membranes, twistronics and beyond" school discussed recent developments in materials growth and characterization, that have given rise to a new class of freestanding materials comprising nanomembranes, 2D layers and topological structures of strongly correlated systems with unique mechanical, chemical and physical properties. Their selfsupported nature allows for greater flexibility in application as well as ease of heterointegration in various systems ranging from polymers to traditional semiconductors paving the way for new applications and practical innovations. Participants engaged with cutting-edge applications, theoretical insights, and the emerging challenges in the field, guided by leading experts.
With 170 participants, among them 75 in-person and 95 online, the school was a great experience for everyone involved. Participants came from all over the world, as you can see in the following figure.
Of all the participatns, 53% came from Spain, while the remaining 47% came from all around the world: France (7 %), followed by Germany (6 %), the UK (5 %), India and Switzerland (3 %), Azerbaijan, China, Denmark, Italy, Poland and Taiwan (" %), and Belgium, Croatia, Greecee, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, South Korea, Sweden and USA (1 %).
School agenda highlights
The School, in fact, started on Wednesday 15 of January with an Invited Seminar by Jacobo Santamaría, Professor at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. His talk was titled 'Remote moiré interactions in twisted oxide ferroelectric membranes'.
School organizers Mariona Coll (left) and Gervasi Herranz (right) with Invited Speaker Jacobo Santamaría (center) | ICMAB, CSIC
On the 16th, the morning started with two lectures by Harold Y. Hwang, Professor at Stanford University. The first one was titled 'General introduction to single crystalline freestanding oxide membranes' and the second one 'Stretching, bending, and breaking freestanding membranes'. After a well deserved coffe break, it was the turn of a lecture by Nini Pryds, Professor at the Denmark Technical University. The lecture was titled 'Membranes Beyond Flat Crystals: Adapting to Cavities, Strain, and Curvature'.
2D materials school | ICMAB, CSIC
It was then time for lunch, before a poster session (9 posters were presented) that lasted all afternoon. A good opportunity to keep learning and do some networking, but also spend a good time with friends and colleagues.
The 17th morning saw three different lectures: two by Leni Bascones, Researcher at the Instituto de Ciencia de Materials de Madrid (ICMM, CSIC) titled, respectively, 'General Introduction to Moiré and Twistronics' and 'Theoretical approaches for moiré materials. New platforms for correlated physics' and another talk by Nini Pryds, 'Twisted Oxide Membranes: Fabrication, Transfer, and Stacking – Current Advances and Future Outlook'.
In the afternoon, the school had the second poster session, with 8 participant posters.
Poster session at the 2D materials school | ICMAB, CSIC
Poster session at the 2D materials school | ICMAB, CSIC
Poster session at the 2D materials school | ICMAB, CSIC
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the organizers, Mariona Coll and Gervasi Herranz, for crafting such a well-structured and thought-provoking program. "The recent school on 2D materials brought together researchers and students to explore cutting-edge topics in the field of oxide membranes and twistronics. It fostered many discussions in these fields, and we look forward to making this a recurring platform for advancing knowledge and breakthroughs in the fields related to materials science and condensed matter. Stay tuned for next schools!" said the organizers.
We also applaud the participants—both in-person and virtual—for their engaging discussions and insightful poster presentations. For those who couldn’t attend, stay tuned for upcoming ICMAB events as we continue to push the boundaries of solid-state physics and condensed matter science!
This event was a powerful reminder of how advancements in materials growth and characterization pave the way for groundbreaking innovations. The insights and ideas shared during these two days will undoubtedly inspire new research and collaborations.
