A new two-dimensional carbon allotrope: Semiconducting diamane film synthesized
Atomically thin diamond, also called diamane, is a two-dimensional carbon allotrope and has attracted considerable scientific interest due to its potential physical properties. However, previous studies suggest that atomically thin diamond films are not achievable in a pristine state because diamonds possess a three-dimensional crystalline structure and would lack chemical stability when thinned down to the thickness of diamond's unit cell due to the dangling sp3 bonds. Chemical functionalization of the surface carbons with specific chemical groups was considered necessary to stabilize the two-dimensional structure, such as surface hydrogenation or fluorination, and various substrates have also been used in these synthesizing attempts. But all of these attempts change the composition of diamond films, that is to say, the successful synthesis of a pristine diamane has up until now not been achieved.