Energy efficiency and conversion in 1D and 2D electronics

We review our recent studies at the intersection of energy, nanomaterials and nanoelectronics. Through careful high-field studies of two-dimensional (2D) devices based on graphene and MoS₂, we have uncovered details regarding their physical properties and band structure. We have investigated thermoelectric effects in graphene transistors and phase-change memory (PCM) elements for low-power electronics. We find that low-power transistors and memory could be enhanced by built-in thermoelectric effects which are particularly pronounced at nanometer length scales. We have also examined heat flow in composites based on one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotubes, and uncovered both the lower (diffusive) and upper (ballistic) limits of heat flow in 1D and 2D nanomaterials. Our results suggest fundamental limits and new applications that could be achieved through the co-design of geometry, interfaces, and selection of 1D and 2D nanomaterials.