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Fabrication and Local Gating Methods for Graphene Nanostructures

Summary

Lead Inventors: Philip Kim, PhDProblem or Unmet Need:The discovery of graphene, an atomically thin, two-dimensional crystalline material with unique electronic, optical, and mechanical properties, has created numerous potential commercial applications in the semiconductor, display and renewable energy industries. Graphene has exceptionally high charge carrier mobility at room temperature, which enables the creation of extremely fast transistors that can potentially replace traditional silicon-based CMOS transistors. However, the primary roadblocks to the adoption of graphene as a transistor material have been the absence of a practical gating methodology, and the absence of a scalable method of fabricating nanoscale structures. The future widespread adoption of graphene-based systems is critically dependent on high-efficiency, highly scalable gating and fabrication technologies that are compatible with current semiconductor nanofabrication infrastructure.This set of technologies specifically addresses many graphene-related design challenges. It includes an electron-beam assisted nanopatterning technique that allows for the creation of arbitrary graphene patterns on the nanometer scale. It also includes a method of coupling multiple gate electrodes to a graphene transistor channel. As a result, transistors with very high gate efficiency can be designed. Additionally, graphene nanoconstrictions and defects can be fabricated to tune the energy band gap of the transistor, allowing further electrical control of the device and high transistor on/off ratios. Lastly, this technology includes a fabrication technique for the creation of patterned graphene nanoribbon structures with the ability to tune the energy band gap according to precisely specified control parameters. All of these technologies are compatible with large-scale vapor deposited and epitaxially grown graphene manufacturing methods that are currently being explored by semiconductor manufacturing companies.

Technology Benefits

-- This technology allows for easy tuning of energy band gaps and high on/off ratio gating of graphene transistors, solving a key challenge to commercialization of graphene-based electronic devices.-- The fabrication and gating technologies presented are compatible with large-scale graphene device manufacture using vapor deposition and epitaxial growth.

Technology Application

-- Graphene-based electronics to replace traditional silicon-based transistor devices.-- Flexible display technologies-- Graphene based organic photovoltaic cells-- Hydrogen fuel cell technologies-- Biosensing and chemical sensing devices

Detailed Technology Description

This set of technologies specifically addresses many graphene-related design challenges. It includes an electron-beam assisted nanopatterning technique that allows for the creation of arbitrary graphene patterns on the nanometer scale. It also ...

*Abstract

None

*Inquiry

Jim Aloise Columbia Technology Ventures Tel: (212) 854-8444 Email: TechTransfer@columbia.edu

*IR

M08-029

*Principal Investigator

*Web Links

Patent pending: US20090140801

Country/Region

USA