An epitaxial graphene platform for zero-energy edge state nanoelectronics.

Graphene's original promise to succeed silicon faltered due to pervasive edge disorder in lithographically patterned deposited graphene and the lack of a new electronics paradigm. Here we demonstrate that the annealed edges in conventionally patterned graphene epitaxially grown on a silicon carbide substrate (epigraphene) are stabilized by the substrate and support a protected edge state. The edge state has a mean free path that is greater than 50 microns, 5000 times greater than the bulk states and involves a theoretically unexpected Majorana-like zero-energy non-degenerate quasiparticle that does not produce a Hall voltage.

Terphenylthiazole-based self-assembled monolayers on cobalt with high conductance photo-switching ratio for spintronics.

Two new photo-switchable terphenylthiazole molecules are synthesized and self-assembled as monolayers on Au and on ferromagnetic Co electrodes. The electron transport properties probed by conductive atomic force microscopy in ultra-high vacuum reveal a larger conductance of the light-induced closed (c) form than for the open (o) form. We report an unprecedented conductance ratio of up to 380 between the closed and open forms on Co for the molecule with the anchoring group (thiol) on the side of the two N atoms of the thiazole unit.

Highly Ordered Boron Nitride/Epigraphene Epitaxial Films on Silicon Carbide by Lateral Epitaxial Deposition.

The realization of high-performance nanoelectronics requires control of materials at the nanoscale. Methods to produce high quality epitaxial graphene (EG) nanostructures on silicon carbide are known. The next step is to grow van der Waals semiconductors on top of EG nanostructures.

Non-Invasive Nanoscale Potentiometry and Ballistic Transport in Epigraphene Nanoribbons.

The recent observation of non-classical electron transport regimes in two-dimensional materials has called for new high-resolution non-invasive techniques to locally probe electronic properties. We introduce a novel hybrid scanning probe technique to map the local resistance and electrochemical potential with nm- and μV resolution, and we apply it to study epigraphene nanoribbons grown on the sidewalls of SiC substrate steps. Remarkably, the potential drop is non-uniform along the ribbons, and μm-long segments show no potential variation with distance.