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Fabrication of Gate-tunable Graphene Devices for Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Studies with Coulomb Impurities
Published on: July 24, 2015
Gate-defined confinement in bilayer graphene-hexagonal boron nitride hybrid devices
Augustinus Stijn M Goossens1, Stefanie C M Driessen, Tim A Baart
1Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5046, 2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands. a.m.goossens@tudelft.nl
Nano Letters
|August 22, 2012
Summary
We fabricated nanoscale devices using bilayer graphene and hexagonal boron nitride for electrostatic confinement. These high-quality devices demonstrate controlled electron behavior, showing conductance quantization and single-electron transport.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Bilayer graphene offers unique electronic properties.
- Precise electrostatic control is crucial for nanoscale electronic devices.
- Hexagonal boron nitride provides high-quality dielectric layers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate and measure nanoscale devices for electrostatic confinement in bilayer graphene.
- To investigate the electronic transport properties of patterned bilayer graphene structures.
- To demonstrate controlled quantum phenomena in graphene-based nanodevices.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of bilayer graphene devices encapsulated in hexagonal boron nitride.
- Patterning of top gates for electrostatic induction of constrictions and islands.
- Low-temperature electrical transport measurements to characterize device performance.
Main Results:
- Smooth pinch-off characteristics in graphene constrictions at low temperatures.
- Observation of features indicative of conductance quantization.
- Clear Coulomb blockade and single-electron transport in graphene islands.
Conclusions:
- The fabricated devices enable effective electrostatic confinement in bilayer graphene.
- The results highlight the potential of these devices for exploring quantum transport phenomena.
- High-quality materials and fabrication are key to achieving controlled electron behavior in graphene nanostructures.
