Glidden Visiting Professor Daiara Faria
By Ling Xin
NQPI Editorial Intern
Dr. Daiara Faria from Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro State University discussed her latest research on the manipulation of currents in graphene and its implications for quantum computing at the Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute (NQPI) seminar on Nov. 14.
Faria is a regular visitor to Ohio University since her first visit in 2011 as an exchange student in the group of Dr. Nancy Sandler, Professor of Physics & Astronomy. This visit, however, was different, as she is the current OHIO Glidden Visiting Professor for the calendar year 2019.
Graphene, an atomic-scale honeycomb lattice of carbon atoms, is known as the strongest material on Earth. Its applications range from highly efficient electronics to faster drug delivery. When a graphene layer is deformed in controlled ways, electronic currents can be created in two directions running along the deformation, giving rise to two different quantum states. These states are known as “valley states” and are at the core of a novel research area known as “valleytronics.” When these states are measured precisely, they can serve as logic gates (0 and 1) in quantum computing.
In their study, Faria and her collaborators from Brazil and OHIO identified specific conditions in which quasi one dimensional currents could be detected and quantum states measured at a graphene deformation. Moreover, her work demonstrated that valleytronics can be developed by using mechanical tools and has broad implications for the design of future devices.
Faria, whose research focuses on the electronic properties of graphene, said she was grateful for the Glidden program and added that her year in Athens had been very fruitful. “I very much enjoyed discussing physics and learning new skills, as well as interacting with the students from different departments.”
“Daiara cares about finding the right answer and would always argue if she’s not totally convinced, which is an important quality in a researcher,” said Sandler, a long-time collaborator. “It’s fantastic to see her grow up professionally.”
Faria will return to Brazil in early December, where she plans to expand her graphene studies to areas such as the superconductivity of single-layer graphene, and continue to collaborate with researchers from her home country and OHIO.
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