Electronics Protection - January/February 2013 - (Page 31)

R&D Self-Assembled Monolayers Create P-N Junctions in Graphene Flims The electronic properties of graphene films are directly affected by the characteristics of the substrates on which they are grown or to which they are transferred. Researchers are taking advantage of this to create graphene p-n junctions by transferring films of the promising electronic material to substrates that have been patterned by compounds that are either strong electron donors or electron acceptors. A low temperature, controllable and stable method has been developed to dope graphene films using self-assembled monolayers (SAM) that modify the interface of graphene and its support substrate. Using this concept, a team of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology has created graphene p-n junctions, which are essential to fabricating devices, without damaging the material’s lattice structure or reducing electron/hole mobility. The graphene was grown on a copper film using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), a process that allows synthesis of large-scale films and their transfer to desired substrates for device applications. The graphene films were transferred to silicon dioxide substrates that were functionalized with the self-assembled monolayers. “We have been successful at showing that you can make fairly well doped p-type and n-type graphene controllably by patterning the underlying monolayer instead of modifying the graphene directly,” said Clifford Henderson, a professor in the Georgia Tech School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering. “Putting graphene on top of self-assembled monolayers uses the effect of electron donation or electron withdrawal from underneath the graphene to modify the material’s electronic properties.” Creating n-type and p-type doping in graphene, which has no natural bandgap, has led to development of several approaches. Scientists have substituted nitrogen atoms for some of the carbon atoms in the graphene lattice, compounds have been applied to the surface of the graphene and the edges of graphene nanoribbons have been modified. However, most of these techniques have disadvantages, including disruption of the lattice, which reduces electron mobility, and long-term stability issues. “Any time you put graphene into contact with a substrate of any kind, the material has an inherent tendency to change its electrical properties,” said Henderson. “We wondered if we could do that in a controlled way and use it to our advantage to make the material predominately n-type or p-type. This could create a doping effect without introducing defects that would disrupt the material’s attractive electron mobility.” Using conventional lithography techniques, the researchers created patterns from different silane materials on a dielectric substrate, usually silicon oxide. The materials were chosen because they are either strong electron donors or electron acceptors. When a thin film of graphene is placed over the patterns, the underlying materials create charged sections in the graphene that correspond to the patterning. The monolayers are bonded to the dielectric substrate and are thermally stable up to 200°C with the graphene film over them. The Georgia Tech team has used 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (PFES) for patterning. In principle, however, there are many other commercially-available materials that could also create the patterns. The researchers used their technique to fabricate graphene p-n junctions, which was verified by the creation of field-effect transistors (FET). Characteristic I-V curves indicated the presence of two separate Dirac points, which indicated an energy separation of neutrality points between the p and n regions in the graphene. The group uses chemical vapor deposition to create thin films of graphene on copper foil. A thick film of PMMA was spincoated atop the graphene, and the underlying copper was then removed. The polymer serves as a carrier for the graphene until it can be placed onto the monolayer-coated substrate, after which it is removed. Beyond developing the doping techniques, the team is also exploring new precursor materials that could allow CVD production of graphene at temperatures low enough to permit fabrication directly on other devices. That could eliminate the need for transferring the graphene from one substrate to another. A low-cost, low-temperature means of producing graphene could also allow the films to find broader applications in displays, solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes, where large sheets of graphene would be needed. Calendar of Events BICSI Winter Conference, January 20-24, 2013 Tampa Bay, Fla. www.bicsi.org Tactical Power Sources Summit 2013, January 28-30, 2013 Alexandria, Va. www.tacticalpowersourcessummit.com Technology Convergence Conference, February 7th, 2013 Santa Clara, Calif. www.teladatatcc.com Pacific Design & Manufacturing, February 12-14, 2013 Anaheim, CA. www.PacDesignShow.com APEX Expo, February 19-21, 2013 San Deigo, Calif. www.ipcapexexpo.org 2013 Data Center Brainstorm, March 7th, 2013 Washington DC. www.meritalk.com 19th Annual Semi-Therm Conference, March 17-21, 2013 San Jose, Calif. www.semi-therm.org Data Center World Spring, April 28 – May 2, 2013 Las Vegas, NV. www.datacenterworld.com January/February 2013 www.ElectronicsProtectionMagazine.com 31 http://www.bicsi.org http://www.tacticalpowersourcessummit.com http://www.teladatatcc.com http://www.PacDesignShow.com http://www.ipcapexexpo.org http://www.meritalk.com http://www.semi-therm.org http://www.datacenterworld.com http://www.ElectronicsProtectionMagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Electronics Protection - January/February 2013

Electronics Protection - January/February 2013
CPI’s eConnect PDUs Integrate Thermal Management with Intelligent Power Solutions
Five Powerful Virtualization Challenges
How Do You Choose Between Hot and Cold Aisle Containment?
Choosing the Right UPS Deployment Architecture for your Data Center
Adalet Offers Explosion Proof Enclosures Constructed from Stainless Steel
AVX’S MLC Capacitor Series Provides Protection Against ESD Strikes
Electrorack Launches Contain-IT Aisle Containment Solution
CoolitDC v.6.00 Boosts Modeling Accuracy and Ease-of-Use
Tru-Block Failure-Free Surge Protection Products Introduced
TE Connectivity’s 2Pro AC Devices Deliver Enhanced Protection in A Single Component
Gore Protective Vent Improves Reliability of Electronic Displays
USB Panel-Mount PCB Connectors Added to L-com Lineup
Industry News
Calendar of Events
Research & Development

Electronics Protection - January/February 2013