Optical identification using imperfections in 2D materials

Cao, Yameng, Robson, Alexander J, Alharbi, Abdullah, Roberts, Jonathan, Woodhead, Christopher S ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1342-0744, Noori, Yasir J, Bernardo-Gavito, Ramón, Shahrjerdi, Davood, Roedig, Utz, Fal'ko, Vladimir I. and Young, Robert J. 2017. Optical identification using imperfections in 2D materials. 2D Materials 4 (4) , 045021. 10.1088/2053-1583/aa8b4d

PDF - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (3MB)

Abstract

The ability to uniquely identify an object or device is important for authentication. Imperfections, locked into structures during fabrication, can be used to provide a fingerprint that is challenging to reproduce. In this paper, we propose a simple optical technique to read unique information from nanometer-scale defects in 2D materials. Imperfections created during crystal growth or fabrication lead to spatial variations in the bandgap of 2D materials that can be characterized through photoluminescence measurements. We show a simple setup involving an angle-adjustable transmission filter, simple optics and a CCD camera can capture spatially-dependent photoluminescence to produce complex maps of unique information from 2D monolayers. Atomic force microscopy is used to verify the origin of the optical signature measured, demonstrating that it results from nanometer-scale imperfections. This solution to optical identification with 2D materials could be employed as a robust security measure to prevent counterfeiting.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Physics and Astronomy
Publisher:	IOP Publishing: Hybrid Open Access
ISSN:	2053-1583
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	27 May 2021
Date of Acceptance:	8 September 2017
Last Modified:	08 May 2023 07:39
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/141236

Citation Data

Cited 18 times in Scopus. View in Scopus. Powered By Scopus® Data

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item