Expert's Opinion

Wired by Nature: Precision Molecules for Tomorrow’s Electronics

Graphene nanoribbons are long, narrow strips of the two-dimensional carbon material graphene.

A graphene nanoribbon connects porphyrin molecules – each featuring a metal center (red) – like a molecular string of Christmas lights. The metal atoms are held in place by four nitrogen atoms (blue) within the porphyrin core. (© Empa)

Empa researchers have succeeded for the first time in binding organic porphyrin molecules with functional metal centers to a graphene nanoribbon with atomic precision. The resulting hybrid system is magnetically and electronically coupled, paving the way for a wide range of applications in molecular electronics, from chemical sensing to quantum technologies. Organic chemistry, the chemistry of carbon compounds, is the basis of all life on Earth. However, metals also play a key role in man...

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