Definition
Plain language
The Scotch-tape method for peeling off thin sheets of crystals like graphene.
As stated in the literature
The mechanical exfoliation technique using adhesive tape to separate atomically-thin layers from a bulk van der Waals crystal; the canonical method whose Nobel-winning gesture Qumus automated.
Why it matters: It is the foundational technique for making 2D materials, and automating it opens up high-throughput exploration of new quantum materials.
For example, sticking Scotch tape to a graphite flake, peeling, and re-sticking it repeatedly can leave behind a single-atom-thick layer of graphene.