CAREER: Exploration of Novel Quantum Phenomena and Relativistic-Like Quantum Dynamics in Graphene Nanoelectronic Devices

****非技术摘要****该学院早期职业奖资助了一项旨在探索石墨烯纳米电子器件中新的量子现象的教育和研究计划。石墨烯是一种单原子厚的石墨薄片，其电子的行为与传统金属或半导体中的电子非常不同。特别是，它们的行为模仿了超相对论粒子的行为。这导致了许多令人兴奋的基本物理现象和独特的电子特性，如世界纪录的电子迁移率，在未来的纳米电子技术中具有巨大的潜力。该项目包括教育和研究之间的强烈互动，这将为研究生和本科生提供优秀的材料研究培训。此外，在量子力学导论课程中，将引入计算机模拟等现代教学方法。这些模拟将被翻译成西班牙语，以接触到在美国和国外的西班牙裔社区。通过实验室参观和公开讲座的外联活动将特别注重向公众和媒体传播科学。招募工作将有助于使妇女、少数民族和国际学生，特别是来自发展中国家的学生融入科学界。****技术摘要****这项NSF职业奖支持的项目旨在理解固体中电子在概念上的新行为，固体中的有效哈密顿量是用狄拉克方程而不是通常的薛定谔方程来描述的。特别是，研究目标是研究石墨烯中的新型量子现象，石墨烯是一种单原子厚石墨片，由于其独特的类似相对论的电子结构。其中一些令人兴奋的现象包括相对论性约瑟夫森效应、克莱因隧道或高温激子凝聚。为了研究这些现象，将开发新的纳米制造方法来将石墨烯塑造成所需的纳米结构，并且将通过低噪声变温传输技术来探测器件。该项目包括教育和研究之间的强烈互动，这将为研究生和本科生提供优秀的材料研究培训。此外，在量子力学导论课程中，将引入计算机模拟等现代教学方法。这些模拟将被翻译成西班牙语，以接触到在美国和国外的西班牙裔社区。通过实验室参观和公开讲座的外联活动将特别注重向公众和媒体传播科学。招募工作将有助于使妇女、少数民族和国际学生，特别是来自发展中国家的学生融入科学界。

****NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT****This Faculty Early Career Award funds an education and research program aimed at the exploration of new quantum phenomena in graphene nanoelectronic devices. Electrons in graphene, a single-atom thick sheet of graphite, behave very differently from electrons in conventional metals or semiconductors. In particular, their behavior mimics that of ultra-relativistic particles. This results both in many exciting fundamental physics phenomena and also unique electronic properties, such as the world's record electron mobility, with great potential in future nanoelectronic technologies. This project includes a strong interaction between education and research, which will result in excellent materials research training for graduate and undergraduate students. In addition, modern teaching methods, such as computer simulations will be introduced, in the introductory quantum mechanics lectures. These simulations will be translated into Spanish to reach out to the Hispanic community in the US and abroad. Outreach activities, via laboratory visits and public lectures, will have a special focus on science communication to the general public and to the media. Recruiting efforts will contribute to the integration of women, minorities and international students, especially from developing countries, into the scientific community.****TECHNICAL ABSTRACT****This NSF Career award supports a project aimed at understanding the conceptually new behavior of electrons in solids whose effective Hamiltonian is described by the Dirac equation instead of the usual Schrodinger equation. In particular, the research objective is to investigate novel quantum phenomena in graphene, a single-atom thick sheet of graphite, due to its unique relativistic-like electronic structure. Some of these exciting phenomena include the relativistic Josephson effect, Klein tunneling or high-temperature excitonic condensation. To study these phenomena, new nanofabrication methods will be developed to shape graphene into desired nanostructures and the devices will be probed by low-noise variable-temperature transport techniques. This project includes a strong interaction between education and research, which will result in excellent materials research training for graduate and undergraduate students. In addition, modern teaching methods, such as computer simulations will be introduced, in the introductory quantum mechanics lectures. These simulations will be translated into Spanish to reach out to the Hispanic community in the US and abroad. Outreach activities, via laboratory visits and public lectures, will have a special focus on science communication to the general public and to the media. Recruiting efforts will contribute to the integration of women, minorities and international students, especially from developing countries, into the scientific community.