Thermomechanical Epitaxy—A Novel Approach to One-Dimensional Topological Nanomaterials

Nanostructures enhance the topological states of materials by increasing the surface-to-volume ratio, crucial for their applications and characterization. Despite numerous proposed topological materials, their realization in nanostructured forms remains limited due to current fabrication challenges. In this study, we introduce a novel fabrication technique for creating one-dimensional topological nanomaterials via thermomechanical processing. By applying pressure on bulk topological materials against rigid nanocavities, we facilitate atom transport through interface diffusion, leading to precise, wafer-scale epitaxial growth of high-quality single crystalline nanowires. This diffusional mechanism applies to general materials, enabling the creation of nanomaterials from a broad range of topological phases, including topological insulators and topological semimetals, and some nanomaterials that are previously unattainable with existing technologies. Our method broadens the scope of accessible topological nanomaterials, paving the way for significant advancements in physical sciences and the development of next-generation nanodevices.