Some 2D materials such as graphene, silicene (different from silicon), black phosphorus, and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are electrically and mechanically superior to others.
These materials can give rise to high-speed photodetectors, advanced sensors, hi-tech flexible electronics and solar cells that are far more efficient than those we use today.
However, scientists currently do not have the perfect technique to manipulate and process these 2D materials, and this prevents us from exploiting their potential. However, findings from a new study reveal a solution to this problem.
A team of researchers from Finland’s University of Jyväskylä and Serbia’s University of Novi Sad suggests that ultrafast laser processing can help us unlock the potential of 2D materials.
The advantage of ultra-fast laser processing
Currently, 2D materials such as graphene and TMD are manipulated using continuous wave (CW) and long-pulse optical methods. These methods involve shooting light beams at the surfaces of 2D materials to induce changes in their physical and chemical properties.
However, both the continuous wave and the long pulse method have one major limitation. When light continuously strikes a material in the form of waves or energy discharges, it results in the generation of heat which, if not properly controlled, can damage the material.
This is where ultrafast laser processing can make a huge difference. This technique uses ultra-short laser pulses to treat materials with high precision and minimal heat damage.
It can make nanoscale changes to materials. “Using the synergistic effect between energy states in atomic layers and ultrafast laser irradiation, it is possible to achieve unprecedented resolution down to a few nanometers,” note the authors of the study.
“The ability to manipulate 2D materials at such a fine scale opens up a number of possibilities for the development of new photonic, electronic and sensor applications,” they added.
The technology hasn’t left the lab yet
Working at the atomic scale, ultrafast laser processing can effectively enable processes such as exfoliation (peeling off), reduction (adding electrons to improve electrical conductivity) and doping (adding impurities to modify material properties) in a 2D material.
These processes are key to changing the physical and chemical properties of the 2D material and enable their use in the development of new generation electronic and photonic devices.
However, ultrafast laser processing is a technique that is still under development. Even in a laboratory setting, this requires the use of expensive equipment and has several problems related to optimization and scaling. “This technology is currently evolving from a laboratory concept to a practical production tool,” the study authors said.
Hopefully, further research will illuminate ways to make this approach more practical and uncover its other unknown strengths.
The study is published in the journal Advanced materials.
ABOUT THE EDITORIAL
Rupendra Brahmabhatt Rupendra Brahambhatt is an experienced writer, researcher, journalist and filmmaker. With a B.Sc (Hons.) in Science and a PGJMC in Mass Communication, he is actively working with some of the most innovative brands, news agencies, digital magazines, documentary filmmakers and non-profit organizations from different parts of the globe. As an author, he works with the vision of bringing the right information and promoting constructive thinking among the masses.