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To this end, we consider noble gases and aluminum confined between graphene sheets at different pressures and temperatures. Using crystal structure search methods and molecular dynamics based on machine-learned potentials with quantum-mechanical accuracy, we identify structures of multilayer confined solids that deviate from simple close packing. Upon heating, we find that confined 2D monolayers melt according to the two-step continuous Kosterlitz\u2013Thouless\u2013Halperin\u2013Nelson\u2013Young theory. However, multilayer solids transition continuously into an intermediate layered-hexatic phase before melting discontinuously into an isotropic liquid. This intermediate phase persists at least up to 12 layers studied here. This change can be qualitatively understood based on the cross-over from 2D topological defects toward 3D ones during melting as the number of layers increases.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2502980122","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,21]],"date-time":"2025-04-21T15:07:51Z","timestamp":1745248071000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.cm10313","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Phase transitions and dimensional cross-over in layered confined solids"],"prefix":"10.1073","volume":"122","author":[{"given":"Yong","family":"Wang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physics and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures","place":["Nanjing, China"]},{"name":"National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures","place":["Nanjing, China"]},{"name":"Nanjing University","place":["Nanjing, China"]},{"name":"Department of Chemistry","place":["Princeton"]},{"name":"Princeton 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