In
order to measure catalytic activity of a single
isolated nanoparticle one must seal it inside a micron-sized volume
with the reaction gas. There is currently a large research effort
working towards this goal at DTU Physics.
We
have developed MEMS devices (chips) with such tiny cavities which can
be sealed using a layer of a 2D material – typically graphene.
Building
on existing experience with graphene, you will explore alternative
methods of sealing with graphene and other 2D materials. The prime
candidate is hexagonal boron nitride, hBN, but metal dichalgogenides
such as MoS2 and WS2 are also very interesting to explore.
Depending
on the 2D material, you will use a combination of electron
microscopy, Raman microscopy and atomic force microscopy to verify
the transfer and confirm that the 2D indeed seals the cavities gas
tight.
The project will be part of the ongoing VISION
research initiative.
