UCL’s wonder material set to transform electronics

A major collaborative study published in Nature explores the extraordinary properties of phosphorene nanoribbons, uncovering their potential for quantum and spintronic technologies. The research, led by the University of Cambridge, brought together an international team of scientists including researchers from several UCL departments, spanning Physics, Chemistry, and Electronic & Electrical Engineering.

The study builds on years of foundational work at UCL, including the first synthesis of PNRs in 2019 and their application in solar cell technologies in 2021. The research demonstrates that PNRs—atomically thin, ribbon-like structures—exhibit macroscopic magnetic behaviour at room temperature, magnetic anisotropy, and distinctive optical properties. These features position PNRs as a key material for emerging technologies such as spin-based electronics and quantum computing.

Corresponding author Dr Raj Pandya, formerly of the University of Cambridge and now at the University of Warwick, said:

UCL has played a leading role in pioneering PNR research. In 2019, Professor Chris Howard (UCL Physics & Astronomy) led the first successful synthesis of individual PNRs, published in Nature and featured in this UCL press release (2019 study).

Building on this breakthrough, Dr Tom Macdonald (UCL Electronic & Electrical Engineering) demonstrated the potential of PNRs in energy applications, including their integration into perovskite solar cells. This work was highlighted in a 2021 UCL news article, and published in JACS (2021 study) and Joule (2022 study).

In 2023, Dr Adam Clancy (UCL Chemistry) led a study that developed nanoribbons composed of phosphorus and trace amounts of arsenic. These ribbons retained the beneficial properties of phosphorus-only PNRs while conducting electricity at temperatures above –140 °C. The research was featured in a 2023 UCL news article and published in JACS (2023 study).

UCL’s continued contributions underscore its leadership in low-dimensional materials and nanotechnology, with PNRs representing a compelling platform for next-generation optoelectronic and quantum devices.

Links

• Read the full Nature article here
• Professor Chris Howard’s research profile
• Dr Tom Macdonald’s research profile
• Dr Adam Clancy’s research profile
• UCL 2019 press release – First synthesis of PNRs
• UCL 2021 press release – PNRs in solar cells
• UCL 2023 press release – One-atom-thick ribbons