Researchers at NIST and the University of Maryland have discovered a new way to create quantum dots in graphene using mechanical strain. By stretching a single layer of graphene over microscopic pits in a silicon dioxide substrate, they created a “drumhead” effect that mimics the electrical properties of a quantum dot. This method could potentially allow scientists to create semiconducting regions in graphene without the need for cutting out nanoscale pieces of the material.
The researchers found that stretching the graphene into a tent-like shape caused the electrons to flow in closed, clover-shaped orbits, similar to how they would move in a vertically varied magnetic field. This discovery could lead to the development of new graphene-based electronic devices that combine the material’s high speed with the band gap necessary for computing applications.
The work was a collaborative effort between NIST, the University of Maryland, and the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2012/06/graphene-drumheads-tuned-make-quantum-dots
Keywords: electrons, graphene, magnetic, semiconductor, pseudomagnetic
