Modified graphene can transmit signals at the atomic level

The graphene is a carbon allotropy promises to be the basis of electronic devices that are coming by to get to Silicon barriers that so far, are unreachable. Today there are many investigations that seek to exploit the conductive characteristics (both thermal and electrical) and mechanical properties (elasticity, strength and hardness) of this material to get better flash memories , circuit boards and high speed networks . In the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) under the Department of Energy United States, have performed an experiment that offers a new perspective on the potential of graphene as introducing silicon atoms in the structure (replacing the carbon) have been able to generate an "atomic antenna" .

A atomic antenna? The concept sounds strange but it has led to the publication of an article in the journal Nature Nanotechnology by the management of labor, Juan-Carlos Idrobo . The experiment consisted of changes in the structure of graphene (which looks like a honeycomb in which carbon atoms are at each vertex) by replacing carbon atoms and silicon atoms as a result, the material had properties that allowed transfer data at the atomic scale through the coupling of light with electrons.

The modification of graphene would have resulted in performance similar to an optocoupler but at the atomic level, ie a material that is capable of transforming light into electrical energy and vice versa. And what use such material? The author of the study, a cable made with this material could have a light signal as input, the cable would transform into electricity, and the output would be a light signal.

What most struck me about this news is that the observation of the phenomenon and, therefore, the focus of the investigation was made possible by microscopy they were able to reach the limit to represent the activity of atoms in the graphene structure (the embedded silicon and carbon that were part of the structure):

The ORNL has one of the few electron microscopes in the world with which we can attain crystallography, chemical composition, optical properties and the properties of plasmons in an atomic scale. This is an ideal microscope to investigate carbon-based materials, for example, graphene

Practically every week we have the opportunity to learn some news on the graphene-related research, and with each one, I think that is becoming increasingly clear that when placed on the manufacturing of electronic devices will witness a turning point in electronic engineering. Although some studies place graphene as a substitute for silicon in the year 2024 , perhaps the change might come some years before, who knows.

Picture: Physorg