Room temperature weakly ferromagnetic energy band opened graphene quantum dot coupled solid sheets – A possible carbon based dilute magnetic semiconductor

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To induce bandgap energy and magnetic properties is a challenging one in graphene. In the present work, we have prepared energy bandgap opened graphene system with room temperature weak ferromagnetic behavior in a hydrothermal process. Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are interconnected through iron (Fe) metal atoms to form larger graphene solid sheets with induced energy bandgap. Unlike pristine graphene sheets which has zero energy bandgap, the as-formed graphene solid sheets are having intrinsic optical absorption and photoluminescence properties, due to its bandgap opened nature. In this interconnection process the quantum behavior of the GQDs is retained, even after becoming micron sized sheet like sample. Local structural discontinuity resulted around the metal atoms has helped to retain the GQD behavior in the solid sheet sample. At the same time the linker Fe atoms provided room temperature weak ferromagnetic behavior to the system. The present paper discusses the outcome of the characterization results, which demonstrate the energy bandgap opened nature and magnetic behavior of the GQD interconnected solid sheet system.