In recent years, the scientific community has taken a profound interest in the subtle yet far-reaching effects of moiré patterns—those captivating interference motifs created when two overlaid grids or meshes are slightly misaligned. While most encounter moiré patterns as everyday optical illusions caused by overlapping screens or fabrics, cutting-edge research reveals that these patterns hold remarkable significance beyond the macroscopic world, especially at the nanoscale. In particular, materials such as graphene exhibit dramatic alterations in their electronic behaviors due to moiré superlattices, paving new paths for breakthroughs in superconductivity, photonics, and emerging quantum technologies. Nonetheless, controlling the periodic length scales of these moiré patterns has remained a daunting challenge, primarily because of the rigid, fixed atomic lattice constants intrinsic to crystalline solids. This constraint has seriously limited our ability to tailor electronic and optical properties with fine precision at the fundamental level.
Groundbreaking work led by Professor Wonyoung Choe and his team at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea, has now shattered this barrier by introducing a chemically programmable platform capable of designing moiré systems with an unprecedented level of control over their length scales. Published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, this innovative study harnesses the modularity of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) — hybrid crystalline materials composed of metal ion clusters interconnected by organic linkers — to achieve customizable stacking and tunability of moiré periodicities. Unlike traditional 2D materials such as graphene, MOFs provide an unparalleled degree of chemical flexibility, wherein deliberate modifications of the organic linker lengths directly translate into controllable lattice spacing. This key feature opens a new frontier for engineering bespoke moiré architectures with tailored electronic landscapes.
At the heart of the approach lies the precise modulation of zirconium-based two-dimensional MOF layers, each synthesized with systematically varied organic ligands. By stacking these layers with controlled twist angles, the researchers successfully demonstrated how the moiré period can be exquisitely tuned by both the geometric arrangement and the chemical composition of the framework. This dual mechanism enables direct programming of moiré superlattices not only via physical rotation but also through molecular design, a combination unobtainable in conventional atomic crystals. To validate their experimental results, the team collaborated with computational scientists from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), led by Professor Jihan Kim, who employed sophisticated molecular dynamics simulations to reveal the energetic stabilities and favored stacking configurations of the bilayer MOFs. This theoretical insight aligned impeccably with the observed structural motifs uncovered through advanced microscopy.
One of the most striking outcomes of this research was the observation of dodecagonal quasiperiodic moiré patterns formed at a precise 30° rotational offset between layers. These complex arrangements, characterized by a unique 12-fold rotational symmetry forbidden in classical crystallography, manifest as non-repeating yet highly ordered quasiperiodicity. Through the use of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with mathematical modeling via Stampfli tiling protocols, these elusive patterns were visually realized and analyzed in unprecedented detail. The quasiperiodic nature not only enriches the structural diversity available in engineered materials but also hints at subtle modulations in electron dynamics that could be exploited for novel quantum behaviors. Such exotic symmetry and order parameters break new ground in the study of correlated electron systems and twistronics.
The revelation that quasiperiodicity without translational periodicity can influence electron wave functions and transport properties opens fertile ground for future explorations into tunable quantum devices. Jiyeon Kim, the study’s first author and a postdoctoral fellow at UNIST, emphasized that these moiré patterns provide a fresh regulatory handle for fine-tuning electronic and optical responses. Her remarks underscore the transformative potential of chemically programmable moiré materials not only in fundamental physics but also in applied technologies such as next-generation photonic circuits and quantum information processors. By harnessing the interplay between lattice geometry and electronic structure, MOF-based moiré superlattices appear poised to deliver innovative solutions to longstanding challenges in materials science.
Professor Wonyoung Choe further elaborated on the broader implications of their findings, describing MOFs as “tunable molecular frameworks” that serve as effective dials for adjusting lattice constants with molecular-level precision. Unlike fixed atomic crystals, these frameworks offer adaptability in spatial configuration, allowing researchers to systematically explore the influence of lattice spacing on emergent quantum phenomena within a single versatile platform. This capability is expected to significantly accelerate the development of twistronic devices—systems whose electronic properties are dictated by relative twisting of layers—and to facilitate the engineering of devices that exploit the quantum mechanical interplay of electrons, light, and lattice symmetry. The integration of chemical tunability with mechanical rotation adds an unprecedented dimension in the design paradigm of functional materials.
Integral to the success of this multidisciplinary collaboration was the combination of state-of-the-art synthesis, characterization, and computational techniques. The team employed rigorous synthetic protocols to construct zirconium-based 2D MOFs with tailored organic linkers, ensuring precise control over their geometric parameters. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy provided real-space imaging of the moiré superstructures with atomic-scale resolution, while molecular dynamics simulations offered dynamic perspectives on interlayer interactions and structural energetics. The synergy of these complementary methods allowed for the first demonstration of chemically programmed moiré length scales, validating the conceptual framework with robust experimental and theoretical evidence.
This study also highlights the broader applicability of MOF-based moiré engineering to a wide range of emerging fields, including twistronics, photonics, and quantum information science. The modularity and tunability inherent in MOFs position them as ideal platforms for exploring complex moiré phenomena that extend beyond simple lattice interference. In photonics, controllable moiré superlattices can be tailored to manipulate light propagation and interaction at the nanoscale, potentially enabling novel optical metamaterials with programmable responses. In quantum information, the precise control of electronic wave function modulation at moiré interfaces could lead to finely tuneable quantum bits or exotic phases of matter, opening new possibilities for quantum computing and sensing.
This pioneering research was made possible by generous support from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) and UNIST, as well as fruitful collaborations with Professors Jihan Kim at KAIST and Sarah S. Park at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH). The successful integration of chemistry, physics, and materials science elucidates a promising path forward in the design of next-generation functional materials and devices. Published on August 13, 2025, in Nature Communications, this work marks a significant milestone in the chemically guided manipulation of moiré physics, poised to inspire a wave of exploratory research and technological innovation worldwide.
Looking forward, the ability to chemically manipulate moiré length scales offers exciting prospects for customizable quantum materials far beyond current capabilities. The precision afforded by chemically programmable MOFs provides a scalable and versatile platform for exploring new physical regimes where geometry, symmetry, and electronic correlation intertwine in complex ways. As these molecular architectures continue to evolve, so does the potential to revolutionize electronic, photonic, and quantum devices that harness moiré engineering as a fundamental design principle. This research not only broadens our understanding of material science at the nanoscale but also enriches the landscape of emergent quantum phenomena waiting to be discovered and utilized.
Subject of Research: Precise chemical control of moiré periodicities in metal-organic framework bilayers enabling tunable quasiperiodic electronic and optical phenomena.
Article Title: Isoreticular Moiré Metal-Organic Frameworks with Quasiperiodicity
News Publication Date: 13-Aug-2025
References:
Jiyeon Kim, Jaewoong Lee, Changhyeon Cho, Joohan Nam, Byeongju Ji, Hyeonsoo Cho, Hyeon Tae Shin, Dharmalingam Sivanesan, Sarah S. Park, Jihan Kim, and Wonyoung Choe, “Isoreticular Moiré Metal-Organic Frameworks with Quasiperiodicity,” Nature Communications, 2025.
Image Credits: UNIST
Keywords
Metal-organic frameworks, moiré patterns, quasiperiodicity, 2D materials, twistronics, photonics, quantum information science, molecular dynamics simulations, zirconium-based MOFs, transmission electron microscopy, lattice engineering, quantum materials
