No Arabic abstract
The use of two truly two-dimensional gapless semiconductors, monolayer and bilayer graphene, as current-carrying components in field-effect transistors (FET) gives access to new types of nanoelectronic devices. Here, we report on the development of graphene-based FETs containing two decoupled graphene monolayers manufactured from a single one folded during the exfoliation process. The transport characteristics of these newly-developed devices differ markedly from those manufactured from a single-crystal bilayer. By analyzing Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, we demonstrate the possibility to independently control the carrier densities in both layers using top and bottom gates, despite there being only a nano-meter scale separation between them.
Folded single layer graphene forms a system of two decoupled monolayers being only a few Angstroms apart. Using magnetotransport measurements we investigate the electronic properties of the two layers conducting in parallel. We show a method to obtain the mobilities for the individual layers despite them being jointly contacted. The mobilities in the upper layer are significantly larger than in the bottom one indicating weaker substrate influence. This is confirmed by larger transport and quantum scattering times in the top layer. Analyzing the temperature dependence of the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations effective masses and corresponding Fermi velocities are obtained yielding reduced values down to 66 percent in comparison to monolayers.
We report an efficient technique to induce gate-tunable two-dimensional superlattices in graphene by the combined action of a back gate and a few-layer graphene patterned bottom gate complementary to existing methods. The patterned gates in our approach can be easily fabricated and implemented in van der Waals stacking procedures allowing flexible use of superlattices with arbitrary geometry. In transport measurements on a superlattice with lattice constant $a=40$ nm well pronounced satellite Dirac points and signatures of the Hofstadter butterfly including a non-monotonic quantum Hall response are observed. Furthermore, the experimental results are accurately reproduced in transport simulations and show good agreement with features in the calculated band structure. Overall, we present a comprehensive picture of graphene-based superlattices, featuring a broad range of miniband effects, both in experiment and in theoretical modeling. The presented technique is suitable for studying more advanced geometries which are not accessible by other methods.
Oscillators, which produce continuous periodic signals from direct current power, are central to modern communications systems, with versatile applications such as timing references and frequency modulators. However, conventional oscillators typically consist of macroscopic mechanical resonators such as quartz crystals, which require excessive off-chip space. Here we report oscillators built on micron-size, atomically-thin graphene nanomechanical resonators, whose frequencies can be electrostatically tuned by as much as 14%. The self-sustaining mechanical motion of the oscillators is generated and transduced at room temperature by simple electrical circuitry. The prototype graphene voltage controlled oscillators exhibit frequency stability and modulation bandwidth sufficient for modulation of radio-frequency carrier signals. As a demonstration, we employ a graphene oscillator as the active element for frequency modulated signal generation, and achieve efficient audio signal transmission.
The appearance of single photon sources in atomically thin semiconductors holds great promises for the development of a flexible and ultra-compact quantum technology, in which elastic strain engineering can be used to tailor their emission properties. Here, we show a compact and hybrid 2D-semiconductor-piezoelectric device that allows for controlling the energy of single photons emitted by quantum emitters localized in wrinkled WSe2 monolayers. We demonstrate that strain fields exerted by the piezoelectric device can be used to tune the energy of localized excitons in WSe2 up to 18 meV in a reversible manner, while leaving the single photon purity unaffected over a wide range. Interestingly, we find that the magnitude and in particular the sign of the energy shift as a function of stress is emitter dependent. With the help of finite element simulations we suggest a simple model that explains our experimental observations and, furthermore, discloses that the type of strain (tensile or compressive) experienced by the quantum emitters strongly depends on their localization across the wrinkles. Our findings are of strong relevance for the practical implementation of single photon devices based on two-dimensional materials as well as for understanding the effects of strain on their emission properties.
The nanofriction of Xe monolayers deposited on graphene was explored with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) at temperatures between 25 and 50 K. Graphene was grown by chemical vapor deposition and transferred to the QCM electrodes with a polymer stamp. At low temperatures, the Xe monolayers are fully pinned to the graphene surface. Above 30 K, the Xe film slides and the depinning onset coverage beyond which the film starts sliding decreases with temperature. Similar measurements repeated on bare gold show an enhanced slippage of the Xe films and a decrease of the depinning temperature below 25 K. Nanofriction measurements of krypton and nitrogen confirm this scenario.This thermolubric behavior is explained in terms of a recent theory of the size dependence of static friction between adsorbed islands and crystalline substrates.