Definition
Plain language
Peeling off thin layers from a stack — like graphene flakes from graphite using tape.
As stated in the literature
The physical process of mechanically separating atomically-thin layers from a bulk van der Waals crystal, traditionally done by hand with adhesive tape; automated by Qumus.
Also called: exfoliate, exfoliated
Why it matters: It's how many 2D materials are first isolated for study, and automating it is a bottleneck for scaling research on novel atomic layers.
For example, pressing a piece of sticky tape onto graphite, peeling it off, and pressing it onto a wafer can leave behind a single sheet of graphene only one atom thick.
Heard on the show
“There's a paper from last year on Bayesian-optimized robotic exfoliation.”Episode 072 — A Robot Made Graphene Without Help, And Caught Itself Hallucinating