In Profile: Pablo Jarillo-Herrero
Scotch tape is a staple in Pablo Jarillo-Herrero’s lab. The sticky material is surprisingly effective at isolating graphene, a delicate lattice of carbon atoms that is both the thinnest and toughest material in the world. Since its discovery in 2005, graphene has been hailed as something of a miracle material, with the potential to revolutionize whole industries, from energy and electronics to health care and construction. Jarillo-Herrero sees graphene as a wild frontier, with endless opportunities to explore and exploit the material’s exceptional properties. With tape in hand and plenty of patience, Jarillo-Herrero peels off layers of graphite — the same stuff of pencil lead — in hopes of isolating a single, gossamer sheet of graphene, just a single atom thick. Then, the fun begins. “For a good fraction of our time, my grad students and I are just sort of playing, seeking to discover,” says Jarillo-Herrero, who was granted tenure this...