Graphene Nanoribbons with Atomically Sharp Edges Produced by AFM Induced Self-Folding

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Condensed Matter Physics

Background:

• Atomically sharp edges are crucial for graphene nanoribbons' electronic and magnetic properties.
• Existing methods for creating sharp edges often lead to chemical instability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the discovery of graphene self-folding induced by atomic force microscope (AFM) scanning.
• To demonstrate a novel method for creating graphene nanostructures with controlled edge properties.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing atomic force microscope (AFM) scanning with a normal force below 15 nN to induce graphene self-folding.
• Employing lateral force microscopy (LFM) to confirm the crystallographic direction of the atomically sharp edges.
• Conducting molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to analyze folding dynamics.

Main Results:

• Graphene self-folding was successfully induced, creating multilayer nanoribbons with dimensions in the tens of nanometers.
• The folding direction could be controlled along the scan line or specific crystallographic directions (zigzag/armchair) with pre-existing cracks.
• MD simulations showed folding dynamics and a correlation between folded area and applied normal force.

Conclusions:

• A novel, non-chemical method for fabricating graphene nanoribbons with atomically sharp edges has been developed.
• This technique offers precise control over nanoribbon structure and edge properties.
• The method is potentially extendable to other 2D van der Waals materials, enabling new nanostructures with enhanced properties.