Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 2, 2026
11:42
Fabrication of Gate-tunable Graphene Devices for Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Studies with Coulomb Impurities
Published on: July 24, 2015
16.1K
Acoustoelectric Current in Graphene Nanoribbons.
1College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, EX4 4QF, Exeter, UK.
Scientific Reports
|May 13, 2017
Summary
Surface acoustic waves generate current in graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), enabling contactless probing of electronic properties. Narrower GNRs surprisingly show increased current due to enhanced carrier mobility.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Surface acoustic waves (SAWs) provide contactless methods for studying low-dimensional systems like graphene nanoribbons (GNRs).
- SAWs have potential applications in charge manipulation for metrology and quantum information.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the acoustoelectric effect in GNRs.
- To demonstrate current generation in GNRs using SAWs at room temperature.
Main Methods:
- Generating SAWs on piezoelectric substrates.
- Measuring acoustoelectric current in GNRs of varying widths (down to 200 nm).
- Analyzing the dependence of current on SAW intensity and frequency.
Main Results:
- An acoustoelectric current was successfully generated in GNRs at room temperature.
- The current, corresponding to hole transport, showed a linear relationship with SAW intensity and frequency.
- A counter-intuitive increase in acoustoelectric current was observed as GNR width decreased.
Conclusions:
- The interaction between charge carriers in GNRs and SAW-induced piezoelectric fields can be described by a classical relaxation model.
- Decreased GNR width enhances carrier mobility, likely due to edge doping from induced damage, leading to higher acoustoelectric currents.
- This work highlights the potential of SAWs for probing and manipulating charge carriers in nanostructures.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Electric Field at the Surface of a Conductor
5.4K
Consider a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium. The net electric field inside a conductor vanishes, and extra charges on the conductor reside on its outer surface, regardless of where they originate.
In the 19th century, Michael Faraday conducted the famous ice pail experiment to prove that the charges always reside on the surface of a conductor. The experimental set-up consists of a conducting uncharged container mounted on an insulating stand. The outer surface of the container is...
In the 19th century, Michael Faraday conducted the famous ice pail experiment to prove that the charges always reside on the surface of a conductor. The experimental set-up consists of a conducting uncharged container mounted on an insulating stand. The outer surface of the container is...
5.4K
01:20Electric Field Inside a Conductor
7.6K
When a conductor is placed in an external electric field, the free charges in the conductor redistribute and very quickly reach electrostatic equilibrium. The resulting charge distribution and its electric field have many interesting properties, which can be investigated with the help of Gauss's law.
Suppose a piece of metal is placed near a positive charge. The free electrons in the metal are attracted to the external positive charge and migrate freely toward that region. This region then...
Suppose a piece of metal is placed near a positive charge. The free electrons in the metal are attracted to the external positive charge and migrate freely toward that region. This region then...
7.6K
01:28Magnetic Field Due To A Thin Straight Wire
6.3K
Consider an infinitely long straight wire carrying a current I. The magnetic field at point P at a distance a from the origin can be calculated using the Biot-Savart law.
6.3K
01:28Debye–Huckel–Onsager Conductance Equation
13
The Debye-Hückel-Onsager equation is a cornerstone of physical chemistry, providing a method to determine the molar conductance (Λm) and molar conductance at infinite dilution (Λ°m) for uni-univalent electrolytes.Uni-univalent electrolytes are electrolytes that dissociate in solution to produce one cation with a +1 charge and one anion with a –1 charge per formula unit.This equation addresses two crucial phenomena: the asymmetry effect and the electrophoretic effect.
13
01:27Electrostatic Boundary Conditions in Dielectrics
2.0K
When an electric field passes from one homogeneous medium to another, crossing the boundary between the two mediums imparts a discontinuity in the electric field. This results in electrostatic boundary conditions that depend on the type of mediums the field propagates through.
Consider a case where both the mediums across a boundary are two different dielectric materials. Recall that the electric field and electric displacement are proportional and related through the material's permittivity....
Consider a case where both the mediums across a boundary are two different dielectric materials. Recall that the electric field and electric displacement are proportional and related through the material's permittivity....
2.0K
01:18Magnetic Field Due to Two Straight Wires
5.0K
Consider two parallel straight wires carrying a current of 10 A and 20 A in the same direction and separated by a distance of 20 cm. Calculate the magnetic field at a point "P2", midway between the wires. Also, evaluate the magnetic field when the direction of the current is reversed in the second wire.
5.0K