Conductance Oscillations in a Graphene/Nanocluster Hybrid Material: Toward Large‐Area Single‐Electron Devices

Abstract

The fabrication of assemblies of particles having the same reproducible properties is of large interest for many domains in nanosciences, as for instance magnetic recording [1] , catalysis [2] , nanophotonics [3] or information technologies [4,5] . A driving motivation is to reproduce at the larger micrometric scale the dramatic physical effects arising at the single nanoparticle level. Targeted advantages include larger and robust signals, together with cheaper, simpler and scalable device fabrication process circumventing the technological bottleneck of contacting a single nano-object. This is a major issue for single-electron electronics, based on the discreteness of the electron charge, considered as a serious alternative to CMOS technology because of its very low power consumption and high-speed performance, with foreseen applications as sensors, memories, and multi-logic devices [4,6] . The key property in single electron device ('SED') is the discreteness of energy levels in metallic or semiconducting nanostructures, which results in welldefined Coulomb blockade ('CB') oscillations of the conductance when observed at the nanometer scale of a single nano-object, for example a nanocluster ('NC') or a molecule.However, despite those striking features, SED remains blocked at the stage of laboratory experiments. On the one hand, contacting and patterning a single NC with the required nanometric precision is a very challenging and expensive technological task. On the other hand,

2D-MTJs: introducing 2D materials in magnetic tunnel junctions

“…The use of such an oxidative process, without quenching the properties of a metallic FM, is unprecedented. Hence, graphene allows an integrative pathway for wet processes in spintronics, with further perspectives for robust and simplified spin-polarized contact to nanoobjects [74] and organic/molecular materials [75][76][77]. (ii) Graphene-based MTJs have shown a promising spin filtering effect, which match the amplitude of the best Ni/ Al 2 O 3 interfaces, with indications of experimental control, in particular regarding the number of stacked 2D layers.…”

Ionic Glass–Gated 2D Material–Based Phototransistor: MoSe2 over LaF3 as Case Study

“…The performances of our ionic glass photodetector demonstrate the potential of this method to explore novel photoconduction processes and alternative architectures of devices. Our approach is generic, and can be easily extended to any photoconducting nanomaterials, including organic and molecular systems, nanocrystals, and hybrid materials …”

Two-dimensional van der Waals spinterfaces and magnetic-interfaces

“…Research in this area is expected to evolve rapidly with the recent emergence of ferromagnetism in 2D crystals, as seen from the latest demonstration of 2D Van der Waals based tunnel junctions and the new possibilities with exotic heterostructures. Also, new systems such as mixed dimensional Van der Waals hetrostructures 149 and 2D-0D heterostructures 150,151 provide additional spin-injection and spin-state control knobs via spin-orbit assisted Coulomb effect, enabling the combination of single-electron quantum properties with spin-injection properties. Such inclusion of the single electron mechanism could lead to quantum spin devices with dual electric and magnetic control of spin states.…”