Graphene: a Look at the Progress and Challenges of Carbon Electronics

Prof. Edward H. Conrad
School of Physics
Georgia Institute of Technology

Abstract: Research on graphene electronics began in 2001 and has exploded since 2004 when graphene’s unique transport properties were first published.  While exaggerated claims and outlandish applications proposals have been made for graphene, it is in fact a serious contender for post silicon CMOS electronics.  Research on this material has progressed in three directions: exfoliated (or mechanically pealed graphite), CVD growth on metals and epitaxial graphene grown directly on an insulating substrate.  The latter method has been the heart of the research conducted at Georgia Tech and is the only method proven to be scalable to large circuit arrays.  This will be the focus of my talk.  I will give a brief history of graphene’s rise and explain the physics of this material with a focus on epitaxial graphene as a new electronic material.  Because of graphene’s underlying structure and weak electron-phonon scattering, it cannot be simply described as a new semiconductor material.  Instead we must begin a new way of thinking about carbon based electronics, switches and device formation.  My talk will outline the current state of the art in epitaxial graphene research and discuss the important milestones already passed, some of the theoretical difficulties predicting graphene’s properties, and the real challenges facing the development of graphene electronics.