Date Available

4-3-2015

Year of Publication

2015

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

College

Arts and Sciences

Department/School/Program

Physics and Astronomy

First Advisor

Dr. Douglas R. Strachan

Abstract

Graphene and carbon nanotubes are among the hottest topics in physics today. Both materials exhibit numerous remarkable mechanical, electrical, optical, and thermal properties that make them promising materials for use in a large number of diverse applications, especially in the field of nanotechnology. One of the ultimate goals driving the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology has been the attainment of atomically precise construction of intricate integrated systems consisting of materials with diverse behavior. Specifically, it is desirable to have high performance conductors, semiconductors, and insulators integrated into complex atomically precise arrangements. This dissertation represents the culmination of work that has made significant progress towards achieving these goals. The main results of this study include the fabrication of graphene and carbon nanotubes successfully integrated into nanoscale systems with precise crystallographic orientations. These systems are shown to be electrically isolated and many of their properties are explored through the use of novel techniques in scanning probe microscopy.

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