In Vienna, Austria, researchers achieved unprecedented control over atom placement in a material, announced in 2025, enabling advanced sensors.
Using molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and helium ion bombardment, they created microscopic defects to precisely place platinum atoms, a process called doping.
Single-sideband ptychography (SSB) was used to confirm the exact location of embedded atoms, overcoming limitations of traditional electron microscopy.
Lead author David Lamprecht stated that they can now definitively prove whether a platinum atom is incorporated into a vacancy. Computer simulations helped identify precise locations.
Jani Kotakoski emphasized the potential for functionalized sensors with this control. The goal is to develop functional materials with tailored properties.