title: Interfacial Self-Assembly of Atomically Precise Graphene Nanoribbons into Uniform Thin Films for Electronics Applications.
abstract: Because of their intriguing electronic and optical properties, atomically precise graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) are considered to be promising materials for electronics and photovoltaics. However, significant aggregation and low solubility of GNRs in conventional solvents result in their poor processability for materials characterization and device studies. In this paper, we demonstrate a new fabrication approach for large-scale uniform thin films of nonfunctionalized atomically precise chevron-type GNRs. The method is based on (1) the exceptional solubility of graphitic materials in chlorosulfonic acid and (2) the original interfacial self-assembly approach by which uniform films that are single-GNR (∼2 nm) thick can be routinely prepared. These films can be transferred to various substrates including Si/SiO2and used for the streamlined fabrication of arrays of GNR-based devices. The described self-assembly approach should be applicable to other types of solution-synthesized atomically precise GNRs as well as large polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules and therefore should facilitate and streamline their device characterization.
authors.forename: Mikhail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shekhirev
authors.forename: Timothy H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Vo
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehdi Pour
authors.forename: Alexey
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5043-1616
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lipatov
authors.forename: Siddhanth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Munukutla
authors.forename: Joseph W
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7285-4310
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lyding
authors.affiliation: National University of Science and Technology "MISIS" , Moscow 119991, Russia.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8688-3451
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sinitskii
keywords: atomically precise graphene nanoribbons; bottom-up synthesis; chlorosulfonic acid; field-effect transistors; self-assembly; thin films