Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




NANO TECH
Researchers Discover Material with Graphene-Like Properties
by Sara Schmiedel
Dresden, Germany (SPX) Oct 18, 2011


The crystal structure of SrMnBi2 resembles iron pnictides (green: bismuth; blue: strontium; red: manganese). Picture: Marc Uhlarz/HZDR

After the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to two scientists in 2010 who had studied the material graphene, this substance has received a lot of attention. Together with colleagues from Korea, Dr. Frederik Wolff-Fabris from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) has now developed and analyzed a material which possesses physical properties similar to graphene.

Its structure also resembles iron pnictides, i.e. high temperature superconductors, and it definitely has a promising future: Due to the position of the individual components in the Periodic Table of Elements, some of the atoms can simply be replaced by foreign atoms. This creates new materials which can be superconductive, magnetic, or behave like topological insulators.

Earlier this year, Dr. Jun Sung Kim came from South Korea to use HZDR's Dresden High Magnetic Field Laboratory to analyze a number of material samples in high magnetic fields.

For the first time ever, he and his colleague from Dresden, Dr. Frederik Wolff-Fabris, studied the metal SrMnBi2 and observed something amazing: The material consisting of the three elements strontium, manganese, and bismuth behaves physically similar to the "magical material" graphene.

Due to its composition and the position of its elements in the Periodic Table, SrMnBi2 permits simple and uncomplicated doping with foreign atoms. Inserting small amounts of foreign atoms alters the physical properties of a material. This might result in the creation of new magnets or superconductors.

SrMnBi2 is currently also in the focus of other research groups; but only the use of ultra-high magnetic fields, such as those generated in the Dresden High Magnetic Field Laboratory, permitted these precise results and, thus, a publication in the scientific journal Physical Review Letters.

Later this year, Dr. Jun Sung Kim will return to Dresden to conduct additional experiments on SrMnBi2 with Dr. Wolff-Fabris.

The original paper was published under the title "Anisotropic Dirac Fermions in a Bi Square Net of SrMnBi2" by Joonbum Park, G. Lee, F. Wolff-Fabris, Y. Y. Koh, M. J. Eom, Y. K. Kim, M. A. Farhan, Y. J. Jo, C. Kim, J. H. Shim, and J. S. Kim in Physical Review Letters, Vol. 107, No. 12 (DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.126402), and can be downloaded here.

.


Related Links
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR)
Nano Technology News From SpaceMart.com
Computer Chip Architecture, Technology and Manufacture






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

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








NANO TECH
UBC researchers invent tiny artificial muscles with the strength, flexibility of elephant trunk
Vancouver, Canada (SPX) Oct 18, 2011
An international team of researchers has invented new artificial muscles strong enough to rotate objects a thousand times their own weight, but with the same flexibility of an elephant's trunk or octopus limbs. In a paper published online today on Science Express, the scientists and engineers from the University of British Columbia, the University of Wollongong in Australia, the University ... read more


NANO TECH
Subtly Shaded Map of Moon Reveals Titanium Treasure Troves

NASA's Moon Twins Going Their Own Way

Titanium treasure found on Moon

NASA Invites Students to Name Moon-Bound Spacecraft

NANO TECH
New Mystery on Mars's Forgotten Plains

Russian scientists want to join Europe's ExoMars mission

UK Space Agency announces seed funding for Mars exploration

While the US Stalls, Europe Moves On to Mars

NANO TECH
Astrotech Subsidiary Awarded Task Order for NASA Mission

ASU in space: 7 current missions, more in the wings

Branson opens world's first 'spaceport' in New Mexico

Branson opens Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space at Spaceport America

NANO TECH
China's first space lab module in good condition

Takeoff For Tiangong

Snafu as China space launch set to US patriotic song

Civilians given chance to reach for the stars

NANO TECH
Ultrasound 2: Taking Space Imaging to the Next Level

CU-Boulder to play key role in global student space experiment competition

It's All in the Mix With Fluid Physics in Space

DLR ROKVISS robotic arm returns from space

NANO TECH
Soyuz is put through its paces for Thursday's launch

Russia blames scientists for rocket crashes

Space Exploration Technologies Ready to Compete for Upcoming DoD Launches

Huge stakes riding on maiden Soyuz launch from Kourou

NANO TECH
UChicago launches search for distant worlds

UChicago launches search for distant worlds

Astronomers Find Elusive Planets in Decade-Old Hubble Data

University of Texas-led Team Discovers Unusual Multi-Planet System with NASA's Kepler Spacecraft

NANO TECH
RIM out to rev up BlackBerry with new apps

RIM rallies developers to burnish BlackBerry

IBM stock sags on revenue target miss

Samsung seeks iPhone sales ban in Japan, Australia




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal 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. 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. Privacy Statement