| Oct 15, 2011 |
Graphene: Piecing it together
|
|
(Nanowerk News) In this progress report ("Graphene: Piecing it Together"), the properties of graphene that make it so attractive as a material for electronics is introduced to the reader. The focus then centers on current synthesis strategies for graphene and their weaknesses in terms of electronics applications are highlighted.
|
|
Graphene has a multitude of striking properties that make it an exceedingly
attractive material for various applications, many of which will emerge over the
next decade. However, one of the most promising applications lie in exploiting
its peculiar electronic properties which are governed by its electrons obeying a
linear dispersion relation. This leads to the observation of half integer quantum
hall effect and the absence of localization. The latter is attractive for graphenebased
fi eld effect transistors.
|
|
However, if graphene is to be the material for
future electronics, then signifi cant hurdles need to be surmounted, namely, it
needs to be mass produced in an economically viable manner and be of high
crystalline quality with no or virtually no defects or grains boundaries. Moreover,
it will need to be processable with atomic precision.
|
|
Hence, the future
of graphene as a material for electronic based devices will depend heavily on
our ability to piece graphene together as a single crystal and define its edges
with atomic precision.
|
