Chemically derived, ultrasmooth graphene nanoribbon semiconductors

Science. 2008 Feb 29;319(5867):1229-32. doi: 10.1126/science.1150878. Epub 2008 Jan 24.

Abstract

We developed a chemical route to produce graphene nanoribbons (GNR) with width below 10 nanometers, as well as single ribbons with varying widths along their lengths or containing lattice-defined graphene junctions for potential molecular electronics. The GNRs were solution-phase-derived, stably suspended in solvents with noncovalent polymer functionalization, and exhibited ultrasmooth edges with possibly well-defined zigzag or armchair-edge structures. Electrical transport experiments showed that, unlike single-walled carbon nanotubes, all of the sub-10-nanometer GNRs produced were semiconductors and afforded graphene field effect transistors with on-off ratios of about 10(7) at room temperature.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't