MIT Scientists Mix Graphene with Hexagonal Boron Nitride to Create New Material for Computer Chips.

Xbitlabs ^ | 05/22/2013 08:57 PM | Anton Shilov

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Researchers Create New Material for Semiconductors

Graphene has dazzled scientists, ever since its discovery more than a decade ago, with its unequalled electronic properties, its strength and its light weight. But one long-sought goal has proved elusive: how to engineer into graphene a property called a band gap, which would be necessary to use the material to make transistors and other electronic devices.

Now, new findings by researchers at MIT are a major step toward making graphene with this coveted property. The work could also lead to revisions in some theoretical predictions in graphene physics. The new technique involves placing a sheet of graphene – a carbon-based material whose structure is just one atom thick – on top of hexagonal boron nitride, another one-atom-thick material with similar properties. The resulting material shares graphene’s amazing ability to conduct electrons, while adding the band gap necessary to form transistors and other semiconductor devices.

“By combining two materials we created a hybrid material that has different properties than either of the two. Graphene is an extremely good conductor of electrons, while boron nitride is a good insulator, blocking the passage of electrons. We made a high-quality semiconductor by putting them together,” said Pablo Jarillo-Herrero, the assistant professor of physics at MIT.

To make the hybrid material work, the researchers had to align, with near perfection, the atomic lattices of the two materials, which both consist of a series of hexagons. The size of the hexagons (known as the lattice constant) in the two materials is almost the same, but not quite: Those in boron nitride are 1.8% larger. So while it is possible to line the hexagons up almost perfectly in one place, over a larger area the pattern goes in and out of register.

[taildragger]

Quite the friction reducer - close to a perpetual motion machine??

No, but something > 50% ( if my memory is correct ) reduction in friction and it may have self cleaning / healing properties for bearing and cylinder walls. I lost the link to the last two claims. Interesting stuff to say the least..