Single Electron Precision in the Measurement of Charge Distributions on Electrically Biased Graphene Nanotips Using Electron Holography

Journal article (2019)

Authors

Leonardo Vicarelli University of Pisa, Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft
Vadim Migunov Forschungszentrum Jülich, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule
Sairam K. Malladi Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft
H.W. Zandbergen QN/Zandbergen Lab , Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft
Rafal E. Dunin-Borkowski Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule
Research Group
QN/Zandbergen Lab
Graphene In situ transmission electron microscopy Nanogap Off-axis electron holography
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Published Date

2019

Language

English

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Research Group

QN/Zandbergen Lab

Abstract

We use off-axis electron holography to measure the electrostatic charge density distributions on graphene-based nanogap devices that have thicknesses of between 1 and 10 monolayers and separations of between 8 and 58 nm with a precision of better than a single unit charge. Our experimental measurements, which are compared with finite element simulations, show that wider graphene tips, which have thicknesses of a single monolayer at their ends, exhibit charge accumulation along their edges. The results are relevant for both fundamental research on graphene electrostatics and applications of graphene nanogaps to single nucleotide detection in DNA sequencing, single molecule electronics, plasmonic antennae, and cold field emission sources.