Massive Dirac Fermion Behavior in a Low Bandgap Graphene Nanoribbon Near a Topological Phase Boundary

• DOI: 10.1002/adma.201906054
• Publication Date: 2020-02-12T07:35:51Z
• Authors: Qiang Sun; Oliver Gröning; Jan Overbeck; Oliver Braun; Mickael L. Perrin; Gabriela Borin Barin; Maria El Abbassi; Kristjan Eimre; Edward Ditler; Colin Daniels; Vincent Meunier; Carlo A. Pignedoli; Michel Calame; Roman Fasel; Pascal Ruffieux
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; 01 natural sciences; 7. Clean energy; 0104 chemical sciences

Abstract Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have attracted much interest due to their largely modifiable electronic properties. Manifestation of these properties requires atomically precise GNRs which can be achieved through a bottom–up synthesis approach. This has recently been applied the width‐modulated hosting topological quantum phases, with valence that are well captured by Su–Schrieffer–Heeger (SSH) model describing 1D chain interacting dimers. Here, ultralow bandgap charge carriers behaving as massive Dirac fermions realized when electrons represent an SSH close phase boundary, i.e., intra‐ and interdimer coupling become approximately equal. Such system via on‐surface based on readily available pyrene‐based precursors resulting characterized scanning probe methods. The (pGNRs) processed under ambient conditions incorporated active material in field effect transistor. A quasi‐metallic transport behavior is observed at room temperature, whereas low pGNRs behave dots showing single‐electron tunneling Coulomb blockade. study may enable realization devices carbon nanomaterials exotic