1 articles · Updated · National Science Foundation · Aug 11
Summary
Silver nanocrystals shaped as 14-faced truncated octahedra self-assembled into a stable superlattice that captures a fleeting intermediate state between face-centered and body-centered crystal structures.
Physical measurements and computer simulations showed sticky molecular coatings drove that arrangement, confirming the long-theorized Nishiyama-Wassermann pathway for crystal transitions.
The superlattice also exhibited deep-strong light-matter coupling, an optical regime usually requiring cryogenic temperatures or engineered nanoscale cavities.
At room temperature on a lab benchtop, the structure formed without extreme conditions, offering a blueprint for custom nanocrystal materials aimed at quantum information systems.