Modular electroactive nanopore architectures with atomic precision

ongoing

MORPHEUS aims to advance the field of 2D carbon technology through the synthesis and characterization of electroactive nanoporous graphene (e-NPG). The project will utilize on-surface synthesis (OSS) to create complex graphene nanoarchitectures with atomic precision, via a 2-step OSS approach. This involves laterally interconnecting graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) using electroactive bridges that enable pore functionalization. These electroactive bridges will act as electrochemical gates through redox reactions, switching on/off the quantum electronic transport between GNRs, leading to the development of highly sensitive and selective chemical sensors. The key objectives of MORPHEUS are: - Atomically-precise synthesis of e-NPG with homogeneous nanometer-sized pores by interconnecting graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with electroactive molecular bridges. - Controlling activation and deactivation of these bridges through site-specific redox reactions. - Characterizing the gas-sensitive electronic transport properties of e-NPG-based field-effect transistors (FETs). The innovative use of OSS for lateral interconnection of GNRs and the incorporation of electroactive bridges aims to achieve unprecedented control over electronic properties and device functionality. The project will be evaluated using mainly scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) and FET device performance measurements in the presence of different gases. This research is expected to provide new insights into quantum electronic transport in complex graphene nanoarchitectures and their potential use in quantum sensing, thus contributing to the expansion of atomically precise carbon-based materials in the Spanish research community, where the researcher plans to establish herself in the future.