NEB: Ultimate Electronic Device Scaling Using Structurally Precise Graphene Nanoribbons

该项目是根据2020年及以后的纳米电子学竞赛授予的，得到了国家科学基金会多个董事和部门以及半导体研究公司纳米电子研究计划的支持。该方案的研究目标是设计和合成结构精确的石墨烯纳米带(GNR)，并将其集成到高性能电子设备中。GNR是单层石墨烯的窄条，作为高性能纳米电子器件中硅的可能替代品而引起了相当大的关注。由于可获得性有限以及对其宽度和边缘结构控制不善，开发GNR的全部潜力受到了阻碍。该提案涉及康奈尔大学和普林斯顿大学的研究人员之间的合作。该项目涉及前体聚合物的合成及其氧化退火成GNRs。将确定边缘结构和掺杂水平对材料性能的影响，以及改变结构参数对GNR晶体管和传感器器件性能的制造和测试的影响。支持合成和器件制造的计算建模将使用各种方法完成，从电子性质的从头计算研究到分子动力学和动力学蒙特卡罗研究以确定结构特征。该提案还将几项教育举措与研究工作结合在一起。作为该项目的一部分，将成立一个名为“纳米电子领域的女性”的新的全国性组织，该组织的目标将是吸引年轻女性加入纳米科学学科。研究生和本科生将在跨学科、协作的研究环境中接受培训，并将通过普林斯顿和康奈尔实验室之间的交流来鼓励他们拓宽技能。使用石墨烯纳米带的计算有可能产生高效、超小型的设备；然而，必须克服许多重大的技术障碍才能实现这些好处。石墨烯纳米带是由单层碳原子组成的超小物质条。该项目解决了在电子产品中使用石墨烯的一个重要的、长期存在的问题，并将加深我们对这种具有重要技术意义的材料的理解。这类工作可能会影响在其产品中使用微处理器的行业，包括计算机、消费电子产品、汽车等。

This project is awarded under the Nanoelectronics for 2020 and Beyond competition, with support by multiple Directorates and Divisions at the National Science Foundation as well as by the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative of the Semiconductor Research Corporation. The research objective of this proposal is to design and synthesize structurally precise graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) and incorporate them into high-performance electronic devices. GNRs are narrow strips of single-layer graphene that have garnered considerable attention as a possible replacement for silicon in high-performance nanoelectronic devices. Exploring the full potential of GNRs has been hampered by their limited availability and poor control of their width and edge structure. The proposal involves a collaboration between researchers at Cornell University and Princeton University. This project involves the synthesis of precursor polymers and their oxidative annealing into GNRs. The effects of edge structure and doping levels on materials properties will be determined, and the effect of changing structural parameters on the fabrication and testing of transistor and sensor device performance of GNRs will be undertaken. Computational modeling to support both the synthesis and device fabrication will be accomplished using a variety of approaches from ab initio studies of the electronic properties to Molecular Dynamics and Kinetic Monte Carlo studies to determine the structural characteristics. The proposal also integrates several educational initiatives with the research efforts. A new national group called "Women in Nanoelectronics" will be formed as part of this project, and the goal of the group will be to attract young women to nanoscience disciplines. Graduate and undergraduate students will receive training in an interdisciplinary, collaborative research environment and will be encouraged to broaden their skills through exchanges among the Princeton and Cornell laboratories.Computing using graphene nanoribbons, ultrasmall strips of matter comprised of a single layer of carbon atoms, has the potential to generate efficient, ultrasmall devices; however, many significant technical hurdles must be overcome to realize the benefits. The project addresses an important, longstanding problem in using graphene in electronics and will further our understanding of this technologically important material. Such work could impact industries that use microprocessors in their products, including computer, consumer electronics, automotive, etc.