A crystalline ribbon of niobium and selenium can be coaxed into a novel topology.
Abstract
A Möbius strip is produced by twisting a ribbon of material through 180° and joining its two ends, resulting in a distinct, one-sided topology1,2,3,4. Here we describe a Möbius structure formed by crystals of a compound of niobium and selenium, NbSe3. It is surprising that a crystalline ribbon should adopt this exotic topology in view of its inherent rigidity, which would be expected to prevent it from either bending or twisting.
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Tanda, S., Tsuneta, T., Okajima, Y. et al. A Möbius strip of single crystals. Nature 417, 397–398 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/417397a
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/417397a
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