Scientists at Rice University have created a novel hybrid material called “glaphene” by combining graphene and silicon dioxide glass. This breakthrough could lead to entirely new materials for electronics, photonics (light-based technology), and quantum computing.
Unlike typical layered materials that are simply stacked, glaphene features a chemical bond between the graphene and silicon dioxide layers. This allows electrons to interact across the layers, giving the material unique properties.
The researchers synthesized glaphene in a two-step process using a liquid mixture containing carbon and silicon. They designed a special system to carefully control the amount of oxygen during heating. This process first formed a layer of graphene, followed by a layer of silicon dioxide. Later analysis using Raman spectroscopy showed unusual vibrations within the material, confirming the strong bond between the two layers.
Further computer simulations at the quantum level indicated that the graphene and silicon dioxide layers share some electrons, transforming the combined material into a new type of semiconductor. According to Pulikel Ajayan, the lead researcher, the importance of this work lies not only in the creation of glaphene itself but also in developing a general method for creating other hybrid 2D materials with specific, desired properties.