TWO-DIMENSIONAL FABRIC MAY LEAD TO SINGLE MOLECULE COMPUTERS

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TWO-DIMENSIONAL FABRIC MAY LEAD TO SINGLE MOLECULE COMPUTERS
31 October 2004 - University of Manchester

Researchers at The University of Manchester and Chernogolovka, Russia have discovered the world's first single-atom-thick fabric, which reveals the existence of a new class of materials and may lead to computers made from a single molecule.

The team, led by Professor Andre Geim at The University of Manchester, has succeeded in extracting individual planes of carbon atoms from graphite crystals, which has resulted in the production of the thinnest possible fabric - graphene. The resulting atomic sheet is stable, highly flexible and strong and remarkably conductive. The nanofabric belongs to the family of fullerene molecules, which were discovered during the last two decades, but is the first two-dimensional fullerene.

The researchers concentrate on the electronic properties of carbon nanofabric. By employing the standard microfabrication techniques used, for instance, in manufacturing of computer chips, the team has demonstrated an ambipolar field-effect transistor, which works under ambient conditions. They found that the nanofabric exhibits a remarkable quality such that electrons can travel without any scattering over submicron distances, which is important for making very-fast-switching transistors.

In the quest to make the computer chip more powerful and fast, engineers strive to produce smaller transistors, shortening the paths electrons have to travel to switch the devices on and off. Ultimately, scientists envisage transistors made from a single molecule, and this work brings that vision ever nearer.

In terms of applications, the sort of quality demonstrated by graphene can only be compared with that demonstrated by some nanotubes. Professor Geim commented: 'As carbon nanotubes are basically made from rolled-up narrow stripes of graphene, any of the thousands of applications currently considered for nanotubes renowned for their unique properties can also apply to graphene itself.'

Although the researchers are currently dealing with patches of graphene that are about ten microns across Professor Geim commented: 'Computer engineers will need graphene wafers a few inches in size, before considering graphene as 'the next big thing'. However, all the omens are good, as there are no fundamental limitations on the lateral size of carbon nanofabric.' Dr Novoselov added: 'Only ten years ago carbon nanotubes were less than a micron long. Now, scientists can make nanotubes several centimetres long, and similar progress can reasonably be expected for carbon nanofabric too'.

David Glover from University of Manchester Intellectual Property Ltd commented: 'This is clearly an exciting breakthrough with huge potential, and with development graphene could compete in some of the niche markets where gallium arsenide presently rules due to graphene's low energy consumption and high electron mobility'.

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About: University of Manchester
The University of Manchester has been created by bringing together The Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST, two of Britain's most distinguished universities, to create a powerful new force in British Higher Education.

The new merged University has been established with an unprecedented £300m investment programme. With some of the highest quality teaching and research and the broadest spread of academic subjects, we will be able to compete with the best universities in the world. The new institution is expected to be the largest single-site university in the UK, offering students a greater choice of degree programmes and options, and even better facilities and student support services.

The University of Manchester has its origins in Owens College, which was established in 1851 in Richard Cobden's house on Quay Street, Manchester. John Owens (1780 - 1846) was a Manchester textile merchant who left a bequest of £96,942 for the purpose of founding a college for the education of males on non-sectarian lines.

The College moved to the first buildings on the present site on Oxford Road in 1873. The buildings around the Quadrangle, designed by Alfred Waterhouse, were completed in 1902.

The College was granted a Royal Charter in April 1880 as the Victoria University, a federal institution which established colleges in Leeds and Liverpool. These Colleges were granted their independence in 1903 becoming the Universities of Leeds and Liverpool respectively, and creating the Victoria University of Manchester.

The Faculties of Commerce and Theology were instituted in 1903 and added to those of Arts, Science, Law, Medicine and Music. The Faculty of Education was added in 1914. The Manchester Business School constitutes the Faculty of Business Administration and was established in 1965. The School of Biological Sciences was created in 1986

The University of Manchester has two complementary organisations which facilitate relationships with the Funding Councils and Industry and handle the commercial exploitation of the results of research: The Research and Graduate Support Unit, which inter alia provides advice and support to academic staff on research funding, and negotiates and manages research contracts and: Manchester Innovation Ltd, the University's technology development and exploitation company. It is responsible for the protection of intellectual property rights, licensing and the transfer of technology, including the establishment and management of spin-off companies.

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