Graphene nanoribbon FETs show potential as gamma radiation sensors
University of Arizona researchers have found that graphene nanoribbon field-effect transistors can serve as sensitive gamma radiation sensors. The study highlights how these devices maintain structural integrity while showing significant electronic changes when exposed to radiation.
Why it matters
This discovery could lead to more durable and precise radiation monitoring technology for space exploration and fusion energy applications.
University of Arizona researchers have demonstrated that atomically precise graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) can function as highly sensitive gamma-radiation sensors, while maintaining their underlying structural integrity under exposure - an unusual combination that could be valuable for fusion energy systems and space electronics.
In a proof-of-concept study, the team fabricated field-effect transistors (FETs) based on nine-atom-wide armchair graphene nanoribbons (9-AGNRs), synthesized using a bottom-up, on-surface approach. The resulting structures were one atom thick and approximately 45 nanometers long on average, placing them in the quasi-one-dimensional regime where quantum transport effects dominate. These devices were characterized before and after gamma irradiation using Raman spectroscopy and electrical transport measurements.
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