Single Crystalline 2D Material Nanoribbon Networks for Nanoelectronics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a universal method for synthesizing high-quality, crystalline nanoribbon networks from various 2D materials, enabling advanced nanoelectronic and plasmonic applications with improved electrical performance.

Contribution

A novel, versatile synthesis technique for 2D material nanoribbons that ensures high crystallinity, controlled edge orientation, and broad applicability across multiple materials.

Findings

Successful fabrication of nanoribbon FETs with high mobility and ON currents

Demonstration of edge decoration with plasmonic particles for sensing

Control over crystallographic edge orientation in nanoribbons

Abstract

The last decade has seen a flurry of studies related to graphene nanoribbons owing to their potential applications in the quantum realm. However, little experimental work has been reported towards nanoribbons of other 2D materials due to the absence of synthesis routes. Here, we propose a universal approach to synthesize high-quality networks of nanoribbons from arbitrary 2D materials while maintaining high crystallinity, sufficient yield, narrow size distribution, and straight-forward device integrability. The wide applicability of this technique is demonstrated by fabricating MoS2, WS2, WSe2, and graphene nanoribbon field effect transistors that inherently do not suffer from interconnection resistances. By relying on self-assembled and self-aligned organic nanostructures as masks, we demonstrate the possibility of controlling the predominant crystallographic direction of the nanoribbon's edges. Electrical characterization shows record mobilities and very high ON currents for various TMDCs despite extreme width scaling. Lastly, we explore decoration of nanoribbon edges with plasmonic particles paving the way towards the development of nanoribbon-based plasmonic sensing and opto-electronic devices.