TY - JOUR
T1 - A Mechanically Tunable Quantum Dot in a Graphene Break Junction
AU - Caneva, Sabina
AU - Hermans, Matthijs
AU - Lee, Martin
AU - García-Fuente, Amador
AU - Watanabe, Kenji
AU - Taniguchi, Takashi
AU - Dekker, Cees
AU - Ferrer, Jaime
AU - Van Der Zant, Herre S.J.
AU - Gehring, Pascal
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Graphene quantum dots (QDs) are intensively studied as platforms for the next generation of quantum electronic devices. Fine tuning of the transport properties in monolayer graphene QDs, in particular with respect to the independent modulation of the tunnel barrier transparencies, remains challenging and is typically addressed using electrostatic gating. We investigate charge transport in back-gated graphene mechanical break junctions and reveal Coulomb blockade physics characteristic of a single, high-quality QD when a nanogap is opened in a graphene constriction. By mechanically controlling the distance across the newly formed graphene nanogap, we achieve reversible tunability of the tunnel coupling to the drain electrode by 5 orders of magnitude, while keeping the source-QD tunnel coupling constant. The break junction device can therefore become a powerful platform to study the physical parameters that are crucial to the development of future graphene-based devices, including energy converters and quantum calorimeters.
AB - Graphene quantum dots (QDs) are intensively studied as platforms for the next generation of quantum electronic devices. Fine tuning of the transport properties in monolayer graphene QDs, in particular with respect to the independent modulation of the tunnel barrier transparencies, remains challenging and is typically addressed using electrostatic gating. We investigate charge transport in back-gated graphene mechanical break junctions and reveal Coulomb blockade physics characteristic of a single, high-quality QD when a nanogap is opened in a graphene constriction. By mechanically controlling the distance across the newly formed graphene nanogap, we achieve reversible tunability of the tunnel coupling to the drain electrode by 5 orders of magnitude, while keeping the source-QD tunnel coupling constant. The break junction device can therefore become a powerful platform to study the physical parameters that are crucial to the development of future graphene-based devices, including energy converters and quantum calorimeters.
KW - graphene
KW - mechanical break junction
KW - quantum dot (QD)
KW - tunnel coupling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088207242&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c00984
DO - 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c00984
M3 - Article
C2 - 32551676
VL - 20
SP - 4924
EP - 4931
JO - Nano Letters: a journal dedicated to nanoscience and nanotechnology
JF - Nano Letters: a journal dedicated to nanoscience and nanotechnology
SN - 1530-6984
IS - 7
ER -