Researchers at NIST are studying the properties of graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms with unique electronic properties, to understand how defects in its structure affect its performance in electronic devices. Graphene’s high carrier mobility, where electrons move like light waves, makes it promising for future electronics.
The team is using advanced scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy to image graphene’s atomic structure and defects at the nanoscale. They discovered new types of topological defects in graphene grown on silicon carbide (SiC) substrates, including circular loops with flower-like patterns. These defects scatter electron waves and affect graphene’s electronic properties.
NIST researchers are also investigating how stacking multiple graphene layers can create moiré patterns that influence the material’s electronic behavior. Their work aims to refine large-scale graphene manufacturing methods and better understand how defects impact graphene’s performance, which could accelerate the development of graphene-based electronic devices.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/structure-defects-and-scattering-graphene
Keywords: graphene, carrier, lattice, defects, electrons, scattering
