Graphene nanogaps for the directed assembly of single-nanoparticle devices†

Significant advances in the synthesis of low-dimensional materials with unique and tuneable electrical, optical and magnetic properties has led to an explosion of possibilities for realising hybrid nanomaterial devices with unconventional and desirable characteristics. However, the lack of ability to precisely integrate individual nanoparticles into devices at scale limits their technological application. Here, we report on a graphene nanogap based platform which employs the large electric fields generated around the point-like, atomically sharp nanogap electrodes to capture single nanoparticles from solution at predefined locations. We demonstrate how gold nanoparticles can be trapped and contacted to form single-electron transistors with a large coupling to a buried electrostatic gate. This platform offers a route to the creation of novel low-dimensional devices, nano- and optoelectronic applications, and the study of fundamental transport phenomena.