Zips on the nanoscale

Nanostructures based on carbon are promising materials for nanoelectronics. However, to be suitable, they would often need to be formed on non-metallic surfaces, which has been a challenge -- up to now. Researchers at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg have found a method of forming nanographenes on metal oxide surfaces. Their research, conducted within the framework of collaborative research center 953 -- Synthetic Carbon Allotropes funded by the German Research Foundation, has now been published in the journal Science.