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Exploration of Two-Dimensional Materials for Remote Sensing Applications

Banz, James A.; Ruiz, Isaac R.; Howell, Stephen W.; Gao, Shiyuan; Thomas, Michael L.; Duree, Jessica M.

Two-dimensional materials were explored through collaboration with Steve Howell and Catalyn Spataru, led by James Bartz during FY15 and FY16 at Sandia National Laboratories. Because of their two-dimensional nature, these materials may offer properties exceeding those of bulk materials. This work involved Density Functional Theory simulations and optical methods, instrumentation development, materials growth and materials characterization. Through simulation the wide variety of two dimensional materials was down-selected for fabrication and testing. Out of the two dimensional semiconductors studied, black phosphorus bilayers showed the strongest spectral absorption tuning with applied electric field. Laser scanning confocal microscopy, spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy allowed for identification of micron scale samples. A technique involving conductive tip atomic force microscopy and back-side illumination was developed simple assembly and characterization of material spectral response.