Quantum Dots at Room Temperature carved out from Few-Layer Graphene

TL;DR

This paper reports the fabrication of graphene quantum dots with large addition energies enabling Coulomb blockade at room temperature, achieved through controlled rupture of graphene sheets, promising for single-electron device applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to create graphene quantum dots with high addition energies suitable for room-temperature operation.

Findings

Addition energies up to 1.6 eV achieved

Quantum dots estimated to be around 1 nm in size

Room-temperature Coulomb blockade demonstrated

Abstract

We present graphene quantum dots endowed with addition energies as large as 1.6 eV, fabricated by the controlled rupture of a graphene sheet subjected to a large electron current in air. The size of the quantum dot islands is estimated to be in the 1 nm range. The large addition energies allow for Coulomb blockade at room temperature, with possible application to single-electron devices.