The base of the 2D material with white lines showing structural kinks that mechanically alter its electrical properties. Credit: University of Sussex
With the development of nanomaterials, computers and phones can run thousands of times faster.
Still the smallest microchips can be made graphene and other 2D materials, using the “nano-origami” shape, have been discovered by physicists at the University of Sussex.
This is the first time researchers have done this, and ACS Nano magazine.
By creating kinks in the structure of graphene, researchers at the University of Sussex have caused nanomaterials to act as a transistor, showing that when a strip of graphene is twisted in this way, it can act as a microchip, which is about 100 times smaller than conventional microchips.
Professor Alan Dalton, of the School of Mathematics and Physics at the University of Sussex, said:
“We are mechanically creating kinks in a layer of graphene. It’s like dwarf origami.
“Using these nanomaterials will make our computer chips smaller and faster. This is absolutely critical because they are at the limit of what computer manufacturers can do with traditional semiconductor technology. Eventually, this will make our computers and phones thousands of times faster in the future.
“This kind of technology -” straintronics “uses nanomaterials compared to electronics – makes room for more chips in any device. Everything we want to do with computers – to speed it up – can be done by cracking graphene like this.”
The image shows the wrinkles that cause changes in the Raman signals that change the electronic properties. Credit: University of Sussex
Dr. Manoj Tripathi, a fellow in Nano-Structured Materials Research at the University of Susano and lead author of the paper, said:
“Instead of adding foreign materials to a device, we have shown that we can create structures from graphene and other 2D materials by deliberately adding kink to the structure. By doing this type of corrugation we can create a smart electronic component, like a transistor or logic gate.”
Development is a greener and more sustainable technology. Since no additional materials need to be added, and this process works at room temperature rather than at high temperatures, it uses less energy to create.
Reference: Manoj Tripathi, Frank Lee, Antonios Michail, Dimitris Anestopoulos, James G. McHugh, Sean P. Ogilvie, Matthew J. Large, Aline Amorim Graf, Peter J. Lynch “Modulate Electronic and Nanomechanical Properties of 2D Materials” . , John Parthenios, Konstantinos Papagelis, Soumyabrata Roy, MASR Saadi, Muhammad M. Rahman, Nicola Maria Pugno, Alice AK King, Pulickel M. Ajayan and Alan B. Dalton, January 25, 2021, ACS Nano.
DOI: 10.1021 / acsnano.0c06701