Overview

• A University of Maryland team led by assistant professor Yichao Zhang used electron ptychography to directly image atomic thermal vibrations and moiré phasons in twisted two-dimensional materials.
• The technique achieved resolution better than 15 picometers, enabling detection of subtle atomic blurring caused by heat-induced motion.
• Direct observation of moiré phasons confirmed decades-old theoretical predictions about heat transport and vibrational patterns in 2D materials.
• The findings were published on July 24 in Science, marking the first experimental visualization of these atomic-scale phenomena.
• The researchers are investigating how defects and layer interfaces alter thermal vibrations to guide the design of quantum devices and ultrathin electronics.