EAGER: Graphene-Nanoribbons of Controlled Width and Crystallographic-Orientation

该奖项由2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)资助。该奖项的研究目标是开发一种新的合成工艺，以生产宽度控制在1 nm、晶体取向(CO)控制在50(具有受控的锯齿形、臂链或混合边缘)分辨率的石墨烯纳米带(GNR)。这一过程包括使用超微切割机精确地将高度定向的热解石墨(HOPG)块切片成石墨纳米块(GNB)，然后将其化学剥离以产生GNR。将进行一项详细的研究，以表征GNR的电学和结构性质，并确定宽度和CO对GNR的带隙和载流子迁移率的影响。将研究的其他参数和影响包括：载流子传输机制、边缘和表面缺陷、边缘功能化、沿长度的宽度偏差和GNR起皱和折叠。如果成功，这项研究的结果将开发一种高效的方法，以高通量地合成宽度可控的GNR，并将提供GNR的结构和电学性质之间的详细关联。这将使对半导体行业感兴趣的GNR应用的理论和开发得到证实，包括FET、逻辑器件和传感器。该项目的成功将为研究人员提供快速、简单、低成本和受控的GNR合成过程，从而进一步加快GNR研究。研究成果将纳入课程，并通过期刊出版物和在国家会议上的介绍加以传播。一名博士生和一名本科生将直接接受该项目的培训。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The research objective of this award is to develop a novel synthesis process to produce graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with width controlled at a resolution of 1 nm and crystallographic-orientation (CO) controlled at a resolution of 50 (with controlled zig-zag, arm-chain or mixed edges). The process involves the use of a ultramicrotome to precisely slice a highly-oriented-pyrolytic-graphite (HOPG) block into graphite nanoblocks (GNB), which will then be chemically exfoliated to produce GNRs. A detailed study will be conducted to characterize the electrical and structural properties of GNRs and to determine the effect of the width and the CO on the band-gap and the carrier mobility of GNRs. Other parameters and effects which will be studied include: carrier transport mechanism, edge & surface defects, edge functionalization, width deviations along length and GNR wrinkling & folding. Correlations will be developed to define the effect of the synthesis process parameters on the structural properties of the GNRs.If successful, the results of this research will develop an efficient process to synthesize GNRs at high-throughput with controlled width & CO and will provide detailed correlations between the structural and the electrical properties of the GNRs. This will enable confirmation of theory and development of GNR-applications of interest to the semiconductor industry including FETs, logic devices and sensors. The success of this project will further expedite GNR research by providing researchers with access to a fast, simple, low-cost and controlled GNR synthesis process. The research results will be incorporated into coursework and disseminated through journal-publications and presentations at national meetings. One PhD student and one undergraduate student will be directly trained on this project.