Graphene Yields Secrets to Its Extraordinary Properties Date: Saturday, May 16, 2009 @ 21:24:57 UTC Topic: Science
Drawing represents a probe scanning and mapping the atomic contours of
graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb-like
array. Simultaneously applying a magnetic field causes electrons (ball)
to organize in circular orbits, like a dog chasing its tail. Orbits
hold clues to the material’s exotic properties. Credit: Kubista,
Georgia Institute of Technology
(PhysOrg.com) -- Applying innovative measurement techniques,
researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the National
Institute of Standards and Technology have directly measured the
unusual energy spectrum of graphene, a technologically promising,
two-dimensional form of carbon that has tantalized and puzzled
scientists since its discovery in 2004.
...Graphene's exotic behaviors present intriguing prospects for future
technologies, including high-speed, graphene-based electronics that
might replace today's silicon-based integrated circuits and other devices. Even at room temperature, electrons in graphene are more than 100 times more mobile than in silicon...
Drawing represents a probe scanning and mapping the atomic contours of
graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb-like
array. Simultaneously applying a magnetic field causes electrons (ball)
to organize in circular orbits, like a dog chasing its tail. Orbits
hold clues to the material’s exotic properties. Credit: Kubista,
Georgia Institute of Technology