New quantum materials: Graphene Nano ribbons

Nanoribbons are most important topological materials that are displaying novel electronic properties. Researchers have found a new way to join two different types of nanoribbon to make a topological insulator that confines single electrons to the junction between the electrons. Different nanoribbon types makes a chain of interacting electrons that act as metals, insulators or spins -- qubits are used for a quantum computer -- depending on separation. This helps designer materials with unique quantum properties.

 This image shows the scanning tunnelling microscope image of a topological nanoribbon superlattice. Here electrons are trapped at the interfaces between wide and narrow ribbon segments. The wider segments of electrons are 11 carbon atoms about (1.86 nanometres) but the thin segments are only 5 carbon atoms about (1.32 nanometres).

Graphene, a sheet of carbon atoms arranged in a rigid lattice and has many different electronic properties. But when a strip of graphene sheet is cut less than about 4 nanometres in width -- the graphene nanoribbon gives new quantum properties, making it most important alternative to silicon semiconductors and combining two different types of nanoribbons produces a unique nanomaterial that immobilizes single electrons at the junction of nanomaterial’s between ribbon segments, however it depends on the shape or topology of electrons. The potential applications of trapping electrons in nanoribbons those junctions of nanoribbons having the proper topology are occupied by individual localized electrons. These materials that form a nanoribbon superlattice, produces a conga line of electrons that react with quantum hybrid nanoribbon that is a metal, a semiconductor or a chain of qubits.

Thus helps us a new way to control and change the electronic and magnetic properties of graphene nanoribbons. The 3D topological insulators conduct electricity along their sides, and 2D topological insulators along their edges. Researchers found new way in synthesizing and characterizing unusual Nano molecules discovered a new way to make atomically precise nanoribbon structures that will produce these properties from complex carbon compounds.