A groundbreaking technological breakthrough from Tel Aviv University has, for the first time, enabled the application of superlubricity in electronic components. This achievement allows frictionless sliding to significantly enhance the performance of memory components in computers and other electronic devices.
The research was conducted by Dr. Youngki Yeo, Mr. Yoav Sharaby, Dr. Nirmal Roy, and Mr. Noam Raab, all members of the Quantum Layered Matter Group led by Professor Moshe Ben Shalom at the Raymond & Beverly Sackler School of Physics & Astronomy, Tel Aviv University. Their findings were recently published in the prestigious journal Nature (Polytype switching by super-lubricant van der Waals cavity arrays).
Friction is a force that resists free movement between surfaces. While essential for daily activities—such as preventing slips—it also leads to wear and energy loss. In computing, where tiny memory components operate at extreme speeds—millions of cycles per second—reducing friction can greatly improve efficiency, durability, and energy consumption.
Nature has already discovered a way to create nearly frictionless surfaces, a phenomenon known as superlubricity. Imagine stacking two egg cartons: when perfectly aligned, they interlock, but when slightly rotated, they slide freely. Similarly, when atomic layers of specific materials are slightly misaligned, their atoms fail to synchronize, nearly eliminating friction.
About two decades ago, scientists discovered that rotated layers of graphite exhibit almost immeasurable friction, laying the foundation for next-generation memory technologies based on superlubricity.
“In our lab,” explains Professor Ben Shalom, “we construct layered materials where even the tiniest atomic displacement causes electrons to move between layers. The result: a memory device just two atoms thick—the thinnest possible.”
In this study, the team developed a novel method to harness frictionless sliding to enhance memory performance. Dr. Yeo’s experiment involved ultrathin atomic layers of boron and nitrogen, separated by a perforated graphene layer. Within nano-sized holes (just 100 atoms wide), the boron and nitrogen layers self-align. However, between these aligned regions, the unsynchronized graphene layer eliminates friction. This allows atoms to slide quickly and efficiently, enabling unprecedentedly fast data read/write operations while consuming significantly less energy.
Professor Ben Shalom emphasizes: “Our measurements show that this new memory technology is significantly more efficient than existing alternatives, with zero wear and tear.”
Beyond improved efficiency, the new memory arrays demonstrate a fascinating effect: when the tiny islands of material are close together, atomic motion in one island influences neighboring islands. This interaction enables self-organization into coupled memory states, a discovery with potential applications in artificial intelligence and neuromorphic computing—systems designed to mimic brain function.
The researchers are now advancing this technology through SlideTro LTD, a company founded on these discoveries, in collaboration with Ramot, Tel Aviv University’s technology transfer company. “We believe this innovation will soon lead to ultrafast, reliable, and highly durable memory arrays,” the team concludes.
Future research will explore computational possibilities using mechanical coupling between memory bits, an interaction previously considered impossible. Superlubricity could very well drive the next revolution in computing.
This research was funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and the Israel Science Foundation (ISF).
