Graphene layer patterned by diamane/graphane areas towards in-plane sensor device – GLADIATOR

The GLADIATOR project aims to pattern monolayer or bilayer graphenes areas of sp3 carbon called graphane or diamane within a sp2 carbon film, in order to study their properties and use them in micro- and nano-scale applications. The very first demonstration of a successful synthesis of diamane was made by our consortium in 2020. The conversion of sp2 carbon into sp3 carbon from a bilayer graphene is carried-out using a pressure-free low-temperature hydrogenation process, fully compatible with a possible subsequent industrial transfer. GLADIATOR combines know-how in modeling, synthesis of diamane by hydrogenation, study of both optical electronic properties of 2D materials, and fabrication of devices. The simulations envisaged from first principles to molecular dynamics and Monte-Carlo type will make possible to guide and optimize the conditions of graphene hydrogenation. Masks will be used to select the areas to be hydrogenated and thus to form fully unprecedented in-plane hybrid 2D materials, and to generate the patterns sought for fine characterization as well as for applications. To characterize hydrogenated areas and sp2/sp3 carbon interfaces, near-field techniques (atomic force microscope, Kelvin surface potential probe microscope, Tip Enhanced Raman spectroscopy and Photo-Induced force microscopy) will be used. Large deformations (4%), induced by slightly different dimensions of the related primitive cells, are expected. They will have to be evaluated experimentally and by calculation, for the graphenic zones as well as for the diamane or graphane zones. Likewise, the stability of the C-H bond as a function of the hydrogen coverage rate and of the different configurations (graphene/graphane and graphene/diamane hybrids) will be analyzed in detail. The application part, which can be carried out in parallel with a more fundamental part, will relate to the use of insulating (large-gap semiconducting) areas drawn in a large conductive graphene layer (several cm) in the case of a sensor-type application, and to the use of nanoribbons with non-free edges for more demanding nanoelectronics applications which often require varying the temperature during measurements.