New method can ‘hear’ defects in promising nanomaterial

(Nanowerk Information) A global analysis staff led by NYU Tandon Faculty of Engineering and KAIST (Korea Superior Institute of Science and Know-how) has pioneered a brand new method to establish and characterize atomic-scale defects in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), a two-dimensional (2D) materials usually dubbed “white graphene” for its outstanding properties. This advance may speed up the event of next-generation electronics and quantum applied sciences. The staff reported that it was in a position to detect the presence of particular person carbon atoms changing boron atoms in hBN crystals. This discovery was made potential by listening to the digital “noise” in specifically designed transistors<, akin to listening to a whisper in a quiet room. ACS Nano chosen the analysis paper (“Characterizing Defects Inside Hexagonal Boron Nitride Utilizing Random Telegraph Indicators in van der Waals 2D Transistors”) as its cowl story for the October 22, 2024 version. “On this challenge, we primarily created a stethoscope for 2D supplies,” mentioned Davood Shahrjerdi, one of many paper’s corresponding authors together with Yong-Hoon Kim. “By analyzing the tiny and rhythmic fluctuations in electrical present, we will ‘understand’ the conduct of single atomic defects.” Shahrjerdi is an affiliate professor in NYU Tandon’s Electrical and Pc Engineering Division, a school member of NYU WIRELESS, and the Director of the NYU Nanofabrication Cleanroom (NanoFab) that opened in 2023. Kim is Professor of Electrical Engineering at KAIST. Shahrjerdi and Kim are additionally affiliated school at NYU-KAIST World Innovation and Analysis Institute the place they lead collaborations within the NYU-KAIST Subsequent-Gen Semiconductor Gadgets and Chips analysis group. The NYU-KAIST partnership was formally launched at NYU in September 2022 by the President of South Korea. This historic partnership combines the distinctive strengths of each universities to drive advances in analysis and schooling and at the moment entails over 200 school from each establishments. Single-crystal hBN has emerged as a marvel materials in scientific circles, promising to rework fields from unconventional electronics to quantum applied sciences. hBN’s atomically skinny construction and wonderful insulating properties make it a perfect medium for internet hosting unique bodily phenomena that aren’t potential with standard supplies. The atomic defects in hBN can degrade its digital properties, generally in ways in which could possibly be harnessed for quantum applied sciences. The NYU staff constructed a transistor utilizing a few-layer skinny molybdenum disulfide (one other 2D semiconducting materials) sandwiched between layers of hBN. By cooling this machine to cryogenic temperatures and making use of exact electrical voltages, they had been in a position to observe discrete jumps within the present flowing via the transistor. These jumps, often called random telegraph alerts (RTS), happen when electrons are captured and launched by defects within the hBN. By fastidiously analyzing these alerts at totally different temperatures and voltages, the staff was in a position to decide the power ranges and spatial places of the defects. “It is like we have developed a microscope that may ‘see’ particular person atoms, however as a substitute of sunshine, we’re utilizing electrical energy,” mentioned Zhujun Huang, the paper’s first writer who was an NYU Tandon ECE Ph.D. pupil on the time of the research. The KAIST staff then used superior pc simulations to make clear the atomistic origins of the experimental observations. Particularly, this mix of experiment and concept revealed that the defects are carbon atoms sitting in locations the place boron atoms must be within the hBN crystal construction. “Understanding and controlling the defects in 2D supplies may have important implications for the way forward for electronics and quantum applied sciences,” defined Sharhrjerdi and Kim. “For instance, we’d be capable of create extra good quantum materials platforms for discovery of latest physics or single-photon emitters for safe communications.” This work provides to NYU Tandon’s increasing portfolio in quantum supplies and machine applied sciences, aligning with the CHIPS and Science Act’s semiconductor innovation targets. Prior analysis demonstrated nanomanufacturing rules for low-disorder quantum supplies and their potential in units when built-in with superconductors. The NYU Nanofab, a prototyping facility throughout the Northeast Regional Protection Know-how Hub (NORDTECH), one among eight Microelectronics (ME) Commons hubs within the U.S., additional advances the sector. The Nanofab focuses on quantum supplies and units integration, serving NYU and regional analysis communities.