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Title: Direct writing of heterostructures in single atomically precise graphene nanoribbons

Journal Article · · Physical Review Materials
ORCiD logo [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [1];  [4]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [3];  [4]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Science (CNMS)
  2. North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States). Dept. of Physics
  3. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Science (CNMS); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Computational Sciences and Engineering Division
  4. North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States). Dept. of Physics; Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Computational Sciences and Engineering Division

Precision control of interfacial structures and electronic properties is the key to the realization of functional heterostructures. Here, utilizing the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) both as a manipulation and characterization tool, we demonstrate the fabrication of a heterostructure in a single atomically precise graphene nanoribbon (GNR) and report its electronic properties. The heterostructure is made of a seven-carbon-wide armchair GNR and a lower band gap intermediate ribbon synthesized bottom-up from a molecular precursor on an Au substrate. The short GNR segments are directly written in the ribbon with a STM tip to form atomic precision intraribbon heterostructures. Based on STM studies combined with density functional theory calculations, we show that the heterostructure has a type-I band alignment, with manifestations of quantum confinement and orbital hybridization. Finally, our finding demonstrates a feasible strategy to create a double-barrier quantum dot structure with atomic precision for functionalities, such as negative differential resistance devices in GNR-based nanoelectronics.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725; FG02-98ER45685
OSTI ID:
1489549
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1489426
Journal Information:
Physical Review Materials, Vol. 3, Issue 1; ISSN 2475-9953
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 19 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (7)

Atomic‐Scale Manipulation and In Situ Characterization with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy journal October 2019
Chemische Synthese an Oberflächen mit Präzision in atomarer Größenordnung: Beherrschung von Komplexität und Genauigkeit journal November 2019
Chemical Synthesis at Surfaces with Atomic Precision: Taming Complexity and Perfection journal December 2019
Step edge-mediated assembly of periodic arrays of long graphene nanoribbons on Au(111) journal January 2019
Engineered electronic states in atomically precise artificial lattices and graphene nanoribbons journal January 2019
Engineered electronic states in atomically precise artificial lattices and graphene nanoribbons text January 2019
Step edge-mediated assembly of periodic arrays of long graphene nanoribbons on Au(111) preprint January 2019