A global analysis staff led by NYU Tandon Faculty of Engineering and KAIST has developed a novel method for figuring out and characterizing atomic-scale defects in hBN, a 2D materials referred to as “white graphene” resulting from its distinctive properties. The examine was printed in ACS Nano.
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This improvement may speed up the creation of quantum applied sciences and next-generation electronics.
Based on the staff, they recognized when boron atoms in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) crystals have been being changed by particular person carbon atoms. Listening to the digital “noise” in specifically made transistors—just like listening to a whisper in a quiet room—made this discovery doable.
The examine was chosen as the quilt story for the October 22, 2024, problem of ACS Nano.
On this venture, we primarily created a stethoscope for 2D supplies. By analyzing the tiny and rhythmic fluctuations in electrical present, we are able to ‘understand’ the habits of single atomic defects.
Davood Shahrjerdi, Examine Corresponding Writer and Affiliate Professor, Tandon’s Electrical and Pc Engineering Division, New York College
Shahrjerdi is a school member at NYU WIRELESS and the director of the NYU Nanofabrication Cleanroom (NanoFab), which opened final yr. Kim is a professor {of electrical} engineering on the Korea Superior Institute of Science and Expertise (KAIST).
Shahrjerdi and Kim additionally oversee collaborations within the NYU-KAIST Subsequent-Gen Semiconductor Gadgets and Chips analysis group as they’re affiliated school on the NYU-KAIST World Innovation and Analysis Institute.
The President of South Korea formally launched the NYU-KAIST partnership at NYU in September 2022. This historic collaboration, which presently consists of over 200 school members from each establishments, brings collectively the distinctive strengths of each universities to drive advances in analysis and schooling.
In scientific circles, single-crystal hBN has emerged as a surprise materials with the potential to remodel fields starting from unconventional electronics to quantum know-how.
As a result of its distinctive insulating qualities and atomically skinny construction, hBN is an ideal medium for exhibiting uncommon bodily phenomena that aren’t achievable with conventional supplies. hBN’s atomic defects can weaken its digital traits, typically in ways in which could possibly be used to develop quantum applied sciences.
The NYU staff used layers of hBN sandwiched between a few-layer skinny molybdenum disulfide, one other 2D semiconducting materials, to create a transistor. They noticed distinct jumps within the present passing by means of the transistor by making use of exact electrical voltages and cooling this system to cryogenic temperatures.
These jumps, referred to as random telegraph alerts, occur when hBN defects catch and launch electrons. By intently analyzing these alerts at numerous voltages and temperatures, the staff recognized the defects’ vitality ranges and spatial places.
It’s like we now have developed a microscope that may ‘see’ particular person atoms, however as a substitute of sunshine, we’re utilizing electrical energy.
Zhujun Huang, Examine First Writer and Nanofab PostDoctoral Researcher, Tandon’s Electrical and Pc Engineering Division, New York College
The staff went on to make clear the atomistic origins of the experimental observations utilizing refined pc simulations. The mixture of principle and experiment confirmed that the defects within the hBN crystal construction are carbon atoms occupying positions that boron atoms ought to occupy.
Sharhrjerdi and Kim added, “Understanding and controlling the defects in 2D supplies may have important implications for the way forward for electronics and quantum applied sciences. For instance, we would be capable to create extra excellent quantum materials platforms for the invention of latest physics or single-photon emitters for safe communications.”
The CHIPS and Science Act’s targets for semiconductor innovation are according to this examine, which broadens NYU Tandon’s rising portfolio in quantum supplies and system applied sciences. Earlier research confirmed the potential of low-disorder quantum supplies in units mixed with superconductors.
The NYU Nanofab prototyping facility, situated within the Northeast Regional Protection Expertise Hub and one in all eight U.S. Microelectronics Commons hubs, advances the sphere. The Nanofab serves the NYU and regional analysis communities and focuses on integrating quantum supplies and units.
Ryong-Gyu Lee, Jiyoon Tune, and Jeongwon Lee, from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at KAIST; Edoardo Cuniberto and Abdullah Alharbi, each Ph.D. alumni at NYU Tandon’s ECE Division; Kim Kisslinger from the Middle for Purposeful Nanomaterials at Brookhaven Nationwide Laboratory; Takashi Taniguchi from the Analysis Middle for Supplies Nanoarchitectonics on the Nationwide Institute for Supplies Science in Tsukuba, Japan; and Kenji Watanabe from the Analysis Middle for Digital and Optical Supplies, additionally on the Nationwide Institute for Supplies Science in Tsukuba, Japan are the opposite examine authors.
The examine was funded in the USA by the US Division of Vitality’s Middle for Purposeful Nanomaterials at Brookhaven Nationwide Laboratory and the Nationwide Science Basis.
Contributions from South Korea included computational sources from the KISTI Supercomputing Middle, the BK21 Plus program at KAIST, and several other grants from the Nationwide Analysis Basis of Korea. The World Premier Worldwide Analysis Middle Initiative of MEXT and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI supplied Japanese help.
Journal Reference:
Huang, Z. et. al. (2024) Characterizing Defects Inside Hexagonal Boron Nitride Utilizing Random Telegraph Indicators in van der Waals 2D Transistors. ACS Nano. doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.4c06929
