Growth optimization and device integration of narrow-bandgap graphene nanoribbons

Abstract

The electronic, optical and magnetic properties of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) can be engineered by controlling their edge structure and width with atomic precision through bottom-up fabrication based on molecular precursors. This approach offers a unique platform for all-carbon electronic devices but requires careful optimization of the growth conditions to match structural requirements for successful device integration, with GNR length being the most critical parameter. In this work, we study the growth, characterization, and device integration of 5-atom wide armchair GNRs (5-AGNRs), which are expected to have an optimal band gap as active material in switching devices. 5-AGNRs are obtained via on-surface synthesis under ultra-high vacuum conditions from Br- and I-substituted precursors. We show that the use of I-substituted precursors and the optimization of the initial precursor coverage quintupled the average 5-AGNR length. This significant length increase allowed us to integrate 5-AGNRs into devices and to realize the first field-effect transistor based on narrow bandgap AGNRs that shows switching behavior at room temperature. Our study highlights that optimized growth protocols can successfully bridge between the sub-nanometer scale, where atomic precision is needed to control the electronic properties, and the scale of tens of nanometers relevant for successful device integration of GNRs.

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Cited by in corpus (6)

• Two-component $GW$ calculations: Cubic scaling implementation and comparison of vertex corrected and partially self-consistent $GW$ variants
• Quantifying Alignment and Quality of Graphene Nanoribbons: A Polarized Raman Spectroscopy Approach
• On-surface synthesis and characterization of Teranthene and Hexanthene: Ultrashort graphene nanoribbons with mixed armchair and zigzag edges
• Platinum contacts for 9-atom-wide armchair graphene nanoribbons
• The role of precursor coverage in the synthesis and substrate transfer of graphene nanoribbons
• Optical excitations in nanographenes from the Bethe-Salpeter equation and time-dependent density functional theory: absorption spectra and spatial descriptors