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Artificial Graphene

Abstract:
A new breed of ultra thin super-material has the potential to cause a technological revolution. "Artificial graphene" should lead to faster, smaller and lighter electronic and optical devices of all kinds, including higher performance photovoltaic cells, lasers or LED lighting.

A potentially revolutionnary material: Scientists produce a novel form of artificial graphene

Luxembourg | Posted on February 15th, 2014

For the first time, scientists are able to produce and have analysed artificial graphene from traditional semiconductor materials. Such is the scientific importance of this breakthrough these findings were published recently in one of the world's leading physics journals, Physical Review X. A researcher from the University of Luxembourg played an important role in this highly innovative work.

Graphene (derived from graphite) is a one atom thick honeycomb lattice of carbon atoms. This strong, flexible, conducting and transparent material has huge scientific and technological potential. Only discovered in 2004, there is a major global push to understand its potential uses. Artificial graphene has the same honeycomb structure, but in this case, instead of carbon atoms, nanometer-thick semiconductor crystals are used. Changing the size, shape and chemical nature of the nano-crystals, makes it possible to tailor the material to each specific task.

The University of Luxembourg is heavily involved in cross-border, multidisciplinary research projects. In this case it partnered with the Institute for Electronics, Microelectronics, and Nanotechnology (IEMN) in Lille, France, the Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science and the Institute for Theoretical Physics of the University of Utrecht, Netherlands and the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems in Dresden, Germany.

University of Luxembourg researcher Dr. Efterpi Kalesaki is the first author of the article appearing in the Physical Review X . Dr. Kalesaki said: "these self‐assembled semi-conducting nano-crystals with a honeycomb structure are emerging as a new class of systems with great potential." Prof Ludger Wirtz, head of the Theoretical Solid-State Physics group at the University of Luxembourg, added: "artificial graphene opens the door to a wide variety of materials with variable nano‐geometry and ‘tunable' properties."

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About Université du Luxembourg
The University of Luxembourg, founded in 2003, is multilingual, international and strongly focused on research. Its students and staff have chosen a modern institution with a personal atmosphere, close to the European institutions, international companies and the financial place Luxembourg. Teaching, research and knowledge transfer at the highest international level are the goals that this university set from the start. With 180 professors, associate professors and senior lecturers from 20 countries, 5000 students from 95 countries, as well as partnerships in Europe and overseas, the University offers a multicultural environment.

About the Physics and Materials Science Research Unit

The Physics and Materials Science Research Unit of the University of Luxembourg focuses on condensed matter physics. Its activities cover the whole field from the electronic structure of crystals to the thermodynamics of soft matter. Experimental and theoretical groups join forces to understand and develop materials.

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Contacts:
Britta Schlueter
+352/46 66 44 - 6563

Contact for journalists:
Dr. Efterpi Kalesaki

T: +352 46 66 44 6693

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