Abstract: Thousands of researchers are investigating graphene’s remarkable structural, mechanical, optical, and electronic properties. Most of these studies, however, have focused on only one of graphene’s attributes at a time, neglecting its unique combination of properties. In this talk, we will look at these interdisciplinary boundaries, examining cases when a mix of graphene’s properties- electrical, thermal, optical, or mechanical - are simultaneously important. For example, we will discuss experiments on graphene atomic membranes where electronic and optical signals can control the frequency, amplitude, and damping of a graphene drumhead resonance. We also present ultrafast measurements of photocurrent in graphene p-n junctions and explore the properties of a literal boundary that occurs in bilayer graphene. F inally, we will look at how graphene is likely the ultimate in flexible electronics.
Bio: Paul McEuen is the Goldwin Smith Professor of Physics at Cornell University. He directs the Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics and the Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science. His research focuses on nanoscale electronic, optical, and mechanical properties of graphene, nanotubes, and related materials. He received his BS degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Oklahoma in 1985 and his PhD in Applied Physics from Yale University in 1991. He joined the faculty at UC-Berkeley in 1992 before coming to Cornell in 2001. Awards and honors include a Packard Foundation Fellowship, a National Young Investigator Fellowship, and the Agilent Europhysics Prize. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.