. 24/7 Space News .
CARBON WORLDS
A transistor of graphene nanoribbons
by Staff Writers
Zurich, Switzerland (SPX) Dec 01, 2017


The microscopic ribbons lie criss-crossed on the gold substrate.

Graphene ribbons that are only a few atoms wide, so-called graphene nanoribbons, have special electrical properties that make them promising candidates for the nanoelectronics of the future: While graphene - a one atom thin, honeycomb-shaped carbon layer - is a conductive material, it can become a semiconductor in the form of nanoribbons.

This means that it has a sufficiently large energy or band gap in which no electron states can exist: it can be turned on and off - and thus may become a key component of nanotransistors.

The smallest details in the atomic structure of these graphene bands, however, have massive effects on the size of the energy gap and thus on how well-suited nanoribbons are as components of transistors. On the one hand, the gap depends on the width of the graphene ribbons, while on the other hand it depends on the structure of the edges.

Since graphene consists of equilateral carbon hexagons, the border may have a zigzag or a so-called armchair shape, depending on the orientation of the ribbons. While bands with a zigzag edge behave like metals, i.e. they are conductive, they become semiconductors with the armchair edge.

This poses a major challenge for the production of nanoribbons: If the ribbons are cut from a layer of graphene or made by cutting carbon nanotubes, the edges may be irregular and thus the graphene ribbons may not exhibit the desired electrical properties.

Creating a semiconductor with nine atoms
Empa researchers in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz and the University of California at Berkeley have now succeeded in growing ribbons exactly nine atoms wide with a regular armchair edge from precursor molecules.

The specially prepared molecules are evaporated in an ultra-high vacuum for this purpose. After several process steps, they are combined like puzzle pieces on a gold base to form the desired nanoribbons of about one nanometer in width and up to 50 nanometers in length.

These structures, which can only be seen with a scanning tunneling microscope, now have a relatively large and, above all, precisely defined energy gap. This enabled the researchers to go one step further and integrate the graphene ribbons into nanotransistors.

Initially, however, the first attempts were not very successful: Measurements showed that the difference in the current flow between the "ON" state (i.e. with applied voltage) and the "OFF" state (without applied voltage) was far too small.

The problem was the dielectric layer of silicon oxide, which connects the semiconducting layers to the electrical switch contact. In order to have the desired properties, it needed to be 50 nanometers thick, which in turn influenced the behavior of the electrons.

However, the researchers subsequently succeeded in massively reducing this layer by using hafnium oxide(HfO2) instead of silicon oxide as the dielectric material. The layer is therefore now only 1.5 nanometers thin and the "on"-current is orders of magnitudes higher. Another problem was the incorporation of graphene ribbons into the transistor. In the future, the ribbons should no longer be located criss-cross on the transistor substrate, but rather aligned exactly along the transistor channel. This would significantly reduce the currently high level of non-functioning nanotransistors.

Research paper

CARBON WORLDS
Tuning the wavelength of fluorescent carbon tubes
Fukuoka, Japan (SPX) Nov 29, 2017
Carbon is not just the most important element for life, it also has fascinating properties of its own. Graphene - a pure carbon sheet just one atom thick - is one of the strongest materials. Roll graphene into a cylinder and you get carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the key to many emerging technologies. Now, in a study reported in Chemical Communications, researchers at Japan's Kyushu University l ... read more

Related Links
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
Carbon Worlds - where graphite, diamond, amorphous, fullerenes meet


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

CARBON WORLDS
Building for a future in space: An interview with Dava Newman and Gui Trotti

Space Farms: 'Mark Watney in The Martian Was Right to Add Poop to the Soil'

NASA successfully fires Voyager 1 thrusters after 37 years

Does the Outer Space Treaty at 50 need a rethink

CARBON WORLDS
ISRO eyes one rocket launch a month in 2018

Russia to build launch pad for super heavy-lift carrier by 2028

Flat-Earther's self-launch plan hits a snag

Mechanisms are critical to all space vehicles

CARBON WORLDS
EU exempts fuel for ExoMars mission from Russian sanctions

Winter wanderings put Opportunity at 28 Miles on the odometer

Earthworms can reproduce in Mars-like soil

Opportunity Greets Winter Solstice

CARBON WORLDS
Nation 'leads world' in remote sensing technology

China plans for nuclear-powered interplanetary capacity by 2040

China plans first sea based launch by 2018

China's reusable spacecraft to be launched in 2020

CARBON WORLDS
Going green to the Red Planet

Orbital ATK purchase by Northrop Grumman approved by shareholders

UK space launch program receives funding boost from Westminster

Need to double number of operational satellites: ISRO chief

CARBON WORLDS
New catalyst controls activation of a carbon-hydrogen bond

New 3-D printer is 10 times faster than commercial counterparts

Device could reduce the carbon footprint of ethylene production

Researchers inadvertently boost surface area of nickel nanoparticles for catalysis

CARBON WORLDS
Scientists identify key factors that help microbes thrive in harsh environments

Exoplanet Has Smothering Stratosphere Without Water

Scientists study Earth's earliest life forms in Nevada hot spring

The answer to planetary habitability is blowing in the stellar wind

CARBON WORLDS
Jupiter Blues

Pluto's hydrocarbon haze keeps dwarf planet colder than expected

Jupiter's Stunning Southern Hemisphere

Watching Jupiter's multiple pulsating X-ray Aurora









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.