biostudies-literatureUnknown8(3)Kim HHere, we report light emission from single atoms bridging a graphene nanogap that emit bright visible light based on fluorescence of ionized atoms. Oxygen atoms in the gap shows a peak emission wavelength of 569 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 208 nm. The energy states produced by these ionized oxygen atoms bridging carbon atoms in the gap also produce a large negative differential resistance (NDR) in the transport across the gap with the highest peak-to-valley current ratio (PVR = 45) and highest peak current density (~90 kA/cm²) ever reported in a solid-state tunneling device. While tunneling transport has been previously observed in graphene nanogaps, the bridging of ionized oxygen observed here shows a low excess current, leading to the observed PVR. On the baScience advanceseabj1742https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8782453biostudies-literatureElectroluminescence of atoms in a graphene nanogap.PMC8782453Hone JGuo JKim HHerman IPKim YDShepard KLWu TCao QfalseElectroluminescence of atoms in a graphene nanogap.Here, we report light emission from single atoms bridging a graphene nanogap that emit bright visible light based on fluorescence of ionized atoms. Oxygen atoms in the gap shows a peak emission wavelength of 569 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 208 nm. The energy states produced by these ionized oxygen atoms bridging carbon atoms in the gap also produce a large negative differential resistance (NDR) in the transport across the gap with the highest peak-to-valley current ratio (PVR = 45) and highest peak current density (~90 kA/cm²) ever reported in a solid-state tunneling device. While tunneling transport has been previously observed in graphene nanogaps, the bridging of ionized oxygen observed here shows a low excess current, leading to the observed PVR. On the ba2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Jan2025-04-19T08:20:08.95Z2024-11-12T01:50:40.814ZS-EPMC87824533506153710.1126/sciadv.abj1742