Graphene conducts electricity extremely well, which makes graphene an attractive building block in rapid electronics. Calculations show so far that graphene might reach the terahertz range, where very few good sources exist today. The field is attractive because it offers many exciting applications such as soft x-ray cameras that can see through clothes at security checkpoints at airports and radar that can penetrate fog.
A number of Chalmers groups are cooperating in the research project. The groups are focused on graphene-based nanoelectronics within theory as well as experimentation and technology; one of the materials groups is in Linköping. The quality of graphene is decisive in terms of being able to build circuits from the material, and the Linköping group has a process (sonication) in place for producing what may be the best graphene in the world for electronics.
We are jointly working to model, design and build graphene-based field-effect transistors (G-FET) and teraherz detectors. The aim is to implement graphene transistors that work well over one hundred gigaherz and to demonstrate implementation in a system.
The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research
SEK 28.5 million