Created using a honeycomb structure of commonplace semiconductor crystals, the new material is said to have the ability to be custom-tuned to exhibit the properties of not only graphene but other materials too – depending on the application.
According to the University of Luxembourg, a partner in the research, “‘Artificial graphene’ should lead to faster, smaller and lighter electronic and optical devices of all kinds, including higher performance photovoltaic cells, lasers or LED lighting.”
First discovered in 2004, graphene is a one atom thick mesh of carbon atoms assembled in a hexagonal structure. Nearly transparent, the wonder material is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity and its two dimensional structure lends it unique properties such as ballistic conductivity, where electricity can pass through a material with nearly zero resistance.
Although true graphene was only isolated around a decade ago, scientists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for “groundbreaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene" in 2010.
Given graphene’s amazing abilities, creating a more easily produced alternative can only come as good news for those interested in shaping the future of electronics. After all, perhaps this new “artificial graphene” could one day rival the abilities of its namesake, revolutionizing the field as we know it and bringing worldwide acclaim to anyone involved in its production.
Image Courtesy of Physical Review X