Illustration of a graphene nanoribbon with zigzag edges and the precursor molecules used in its manufacture. Electrons on the two zigzag edges display opposite directions of rotation (spin) - "spin-up" on the bottom edge (red) or "spin-down" on the top edge (blue).
As reported by the journal Nature in its latest issue, researchers from Empa, the Max Planck Institute in Mainz and the Technical University of Dresden have for the first time succeeded in producing graphene nanoribbons with perfect zigzag edges from molecules. Electrons on these zigzag edges exhibit different (and coupled) rotational directions ("spin"). This could make graphene nanoribbons the material of choice for electronics of the future, so-called spintronics. As electronic components are becoming ever smaller, the industry is gradually approaching the limits of what is achievable using the traditional approach with silicon as a semiconductor material. Graphene, the material with a number of "miraculous" properties, is considered a possible replacement. The one atom thin carbon film is ultra-light, extremely flexible and highly conductive. However, in order to be able to use graphene for electronic components such as field effect transistors, the material has to be "transformed" into a semiconductor.
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