BENGRAS

Bandgap engineering of graphene by molecular self-assembly

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'BENGRAS is a Marie Curie IIF project that focuses on multidisciplinary transfer of knowledge from a promising Australian early career researcher to KU Leuven towards the design and synthesis of novel functional nano-materials and the development of advanced analytical techniques for material analysis. The project will study bandgap engineering in graphene induced by physi- and chemi- sorption of self-assembled molecular monolayers, which is an interdisciplinary research topic centered at the interface between materials science, supramolecular chemistry, nanoscience and physics. Graphene, a material consisting of flat one-atom-thick sheets of carbon atoms has enormous potential for the use in electronic transistors because of the unique electronic properties and the reduced dimensionality. Graphene is a ‘zero-gap’ semiconductor and to unlock its electronic properties two basic requirements must be satisfied. Firstly, precise control over electronic band structure (bandgap) is needed. This can be achieved by adsorbing atoms and molecules (e.g. H, OH, K, NH3) on its surface thus generating local mid-gap states. Secondly, the means to control the degree of ordering and periodicity of modified graphene layers are to be derived. In other words, the regions where bandgap can be locally tuned have to be extended to a micron scale for practical applications. At present, this issue remains largely unexplored. This project will investigate the electronic structure of graphene the surface of which has been nano-patterned by physisorped (i.e. weak surface interactions) and covalent (i.e. strong surface interactions) molecular monolayers. Through BENGRAS the fellow will contribute extensive expertise in carbonaceous materials and spectroscopy towards controlled modification of electronic properties of graphene and, designing appropriate analytical methods for the study of low-dimensional materials using optical spectroscopy methods at the nanoscale.'

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Research on the wonder-material graphene led to a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010.

Its unique strength, flexibility and electrical conductivity offer tremendous potential for use in miniaturised transistors.

However, unlocking that potential requires bandgap engineering to control the properties determining how mobile charge carriers are produced.Graphene is a zero-bandgap semiconductor.

Scientists investigated the potential of modifying graphene layers with various atoms or molecules to modify the bandgap and control semiconductor properties with EU funding of the project 'Bandgap engineering of graphene by molecular self-assembly' (BENGRAS).The team developed and built its own Raman microscope to study the spectroscopic (energy) properties of modified graphene.

Using it in combination with conventional atomic force microscopy, investigators were able to correlate the Raman spectra of individual graphene nano-ribbons with their morphologies.

Doping of one material with another is often used to change electrical properties, so scientists investigated adsorption of a known electron donor molecule (n-dopant).

Preliminary results suggest a doping effect of the molecule on graphene sheets.Nano-structured semiconductor materials are poised to revolutionise fields from biomedicine to optoelectronics and just about anything in between.

BENGRAS provided important methodologies for modifying the surface structure and thus electrical properties of graphene.

Together with measurement techniques to correlate morphology with conductivity, the team has made an important contribution to the EU's ability to exploit this novel material in real innovations that will benefit the economy and the public in general.