Precision electron steering in graphene using ultrashort laser pulses

Ultrashort laser pulses can act like light switches on the nanoscale, switching electrons on and off at precisely defined spots within femtoseconds. When a pulse strikes a graphene cluster, electrons gather at one edge. A second pulse can generate electrons almost instantly at a different site. The researchers can steer the electrons with high precision, like a traffic signal guiding them where to go.

Researchers from Kiel University have reported a previously unknown effect in graphene. Dr. Jan-Philip Joost and Professor Michael Bonitz showed, for the first time, that light pulses can generate electrons at specific designated locations in the material. To investigate how electrons move and interact, they simulated the effects of laser pulses on small graphene clusters. Their results could open up new approaches for nanoelectronics.Ultrashort laser pulses can act like light switches on the nanoscale, switching electrons on and off at precisely defined spots within femtoseconds. When a pulse strikes a graphene cluster, electrons gather at one edge. A second pulse can generate electrons almost instantly at a different site. The researchers can steer the electrons with high precision, like a traffic signal guiding them where to go.

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