A world analysis crew led by NYU Tandon College of Engineering and KAIST has developed a novel strategy for figuring out and characterizing atomic-scale defects in hBN, a 2D materials known as “white graphene” resulting from its distinctive properties. The examine was revealed in ACS Nano.
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This growth might speed up the creation of quantum applied sciences and next-generation electronics.
In line with the crew, 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—much like listening to a whisper in a quiet room—made this discovery attainable.
The examine was chosen as the quilt story for the October 22, 2024, problem of ACS Nano.
On this undertaking, we basically 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 college 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 Know-how (KAIST).
Shahrjerdi and Kim additionally oversee collaborations within the NYU-KAIST Subsequent-Gen Semiconductor Gadgets and Chips analysis group as they’re affiliated college 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 at the moment contains over 200 college 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 marvel materials with the potential to rework fields starting from unconventional electronics to quantum know-how.
Because 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 crew 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 the transistor by making use of exact electrical voltages and cooling this machine to cryogenic temperatures.
These jumps, known as random telegraph indicators, occur when hBN defects catch and launch electrons. By intently analyzing these indicators at varied voltages and temperatures, the crew recognized the defects’ vitality ranges and spatial places.
It’s like we’ve 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 crew went on to make clear the atomistic origins of the experimental observations utilizing subtle laptop simulations. The mix of concept 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 might have important implications for the way forward for electronics and quantum applied sciences. For instance, we would be capable to create extra good quantum materials platforms for the invention of recent physics or single-photon emitters for safe communications.”
The CHIPS and Science Act’s targets for semiconductor innovation are consistent with this examine, which broadens NYU Tandon’s rising portfolio in quantum supplies and machine 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 Know-how 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 College of Electrical Engineering at KAIST; Edoardo Cuniberto and Abdullah Alharbi, each Ph.D. alumni at NYU Tandon’s ECE Division; Kim Kisslinger from the Heart for Purposeful Nanomaterials at Brookhaven Nationwide Laboratory; Takashi Taniguchi from the Analysis Heart for Supplies Nanoarchitectonics on the Nationwide Institute for Supplies Science in Tsukuba, Japan; and Kenji Watanabe from the Analysis Heart 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 US by the US Division of Vitality’s Heart for Purposeful Nanomaterials at Brookhaven Nationwide Laboratory and the Nationwide Science Basis.
Contributions from South Korea included computational assets from the KISTI Supercomputing Heart, the BK21 Plus program at KAIST, and several other grants from the Nationwide Analysis Basis of Korea. The World Premier Worldwide Analysis Heart Initiative of MEXT and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI offered Japanese help.
Journal Reference:
Huang, Z. et. al. (2024) Characterizing Defects Inside Hexagonal Boron Nitride Utilizing Random Telegraph Alerts in van der Waals 2D Transistors. ACS Nano. doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.4c06929
