Researchers at the PNM group demonstrate how the shape of nanopores in hexagonal boron nitride - the electrically insulating counterpart to graphene, also known as "white graphene" - can be precisely controlled at the atomic level. Electron irradiation in ultra-high vacuum creates circular pores, while adding small amounts of oxygen yields triangular pores. The nanopore engineering presented in the journal Nature Communications thus unlocks new applications in filtration, DNA sequencing, catalysis, and quantum technologies.

University press release:

https://www.univie.ac.at/en/news/detail/tailor-made-nanopores-vienna-team-shapes-white-graphene-at-the-atomic-scale

Original publication:

Umair Javed, Manuel Längle, Vladimír Zobač, Alexander Markevich, Barbara Maria Mayer, Clara Kofler, Martin Paul, Darwin Lorber, Nandhini Ravindran, Clemens Mangler, Toma Susi & Jani Kotakoski. Origin of circular and triangular pores in electron-irradiated hexagonal boron nitride. Nature Communications (2026).

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-76612-2