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What-is-a-Graphene-Field-Effect-Transistor

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Sab-Win Damad
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What is a Graphene Field Effect Transistor?

What is a Graphene Field E ect


Transistor?
By Gopika G, Ph.D May 24 2024
Reviewed by Lexie Corner

Graphene field effect transistors offer numerous advantages over traditional CMOS
transistors; however, improvements in manufacturing and scalability are necessary
before commercialization.

Image Credit: Production Perig/Shutterstock.com

An Introduction to Graphene Field Effect Transistors


A graphene layer consists of carbon atoms linked by covalent bonds, forming a honeycomb
structure. Its excellent electron mobility, chemical and physical stability, electrical and
thermal conductivity, and other properties make it promising for various electronic devices.

While silicon is the primary material used in the materials sector, reducing its size to the

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What is a Graphene Field Effect Transistor?

nanoscale impairs charge transfer efficiency, prompting the search for alternatives.

According to Moore's law, transistor size should decrease to increase the number of
transistors on a chip, resulting in faster processing and increased efficiency.1

Graphene can function as a reliable substitute for silicon in field effect transistors. In
graphene field effect transistors (GFETs), graphene replaces silicon as the channel material
between the source and drain, leveraging graphene's exceptional electronic properties for
efficient charge transport.1, 2

GFET: Structure, Operation Principles, and Fabrication


Techniques
GFETs have a channel made of mono or bilayer graphene, which is extremely thin. The
three terminals—source, drain, and gate—regulate charge passage.

The voltage or field applied at the gate terminal regulates the passage of charges between
the source and the drain. As monolayer graphene has a high surface-to-volume ratio,
surface alterations have a significant impact on the channel, enabling precise control of
charge flow.1, 2

The most commonly used method for fabricating GFET channels is mechanical exfoliation.
In this process, graphene sheets are separated from one another using adhesive tapes,
which are then rubbed against SiO2 to coat them with graphene.

Another technique involves producing graphene epitaxially via a SiC substrate, requiring
high temperatures between 1250 and 1450 °C. This method yields a single graphene layer
through silicon absorption at elevated temperatures. However, this approach is significantly
more expensive than CMOS technology.

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) utilizes metal substrates such as nickel, ruthenium, and
others. The metal is chemically dissolved after deposition, and forced cooling methods
cause the graphene sheet to precipitate onto the necessary substrate. Depending on the
application, direct deposition can also be performed on flexible substrates like microbial
cellulose or rigid substrates like copper or iridium.2,3

Advantages and Applications of GFETs


GFETs offer several advantages over traditional metal oxide semiconductor-based FETs,

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What is a Graphene Field Effect Transistor?

exhibiting high transconductance gain and electron mobility of 2 x 105 cm2.V-1.s-1.

They also feature a high intrinsic cut-off frequency of 427 GHz and a high carrier density of
1012 cm-2. Graphene's small band gap of 0.2 eV and high surface-to-volume ratio
contribute to the suitability of GFET for various electronic applications.2,3

Due to their extremely thin channels, GFETs are


highly sensitive, making surface changes The Graphene Transistor Designed
significantly impactful. Surface alterations affect For Diagnostics
the local electrostatic field, thereby influencing
charge flow across the channel.

The graphene channel provides excellent charge mobility through ballistic transport, a
defect-free pathway for charges. This improves the response time of GFETs compared to
traditional transistors.

GFETs are compatible with high-k dielectric materials, such as SiO2, used in the top and
bottom gates. The transistor can be scaled to several nanometers, allowing for more
transistors on a chip than standard FETs. Other benefits include optical transparency, high
tensile strength, and high thermal conductivity.3

GFETs are used in high-speed analog circuits that can be as small as a few nanometers.
They are also utilized in radio frequency equipment, including mixers, frequency multipliers,
doublers, and triplers. A primary area of research for GFETs is in biosensing applications.
Due to the high surface sensitivity of the graphene channel, GFET-based devices can
detect bio-analytes like DNA. Additionally, GFETs are being developed as highly sensitive
gas sensors for detecting specific target gases.3,4

Challenges and Limitations


Fabricating defect-free graphene channels is essential for high-charge carrier mobility.
Obtaining such graphene sheets for device fabrication is difficult. The scientific community
is exploring synthesis methods for producing defect-free graphene.

Integrating manufactured GFET-based devices into existing electronic systems is also


problematic. Broad adoption of GFETs depends on developing fabrication technology to
produce high-quality GFETs.3,4

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What is a Graphene Field Effect Transistor?

The Future of GFETs: Recent Advances and Potential


Innovations
GFETs offer an alternative to silicon-based transistors for future electrical applications. They
are being investigated for biosensing, conformal sensors, biomedical devices, and flexible
electronics.

To design and optimize GFETs, predict device performance, accelerate material discovery,
and improve device design, computational techniques, including machine learning AI tools
and simulation software, are employed.4

Research is focused on improving scalability, stability, and manufacturability issues to


achieve graphene-based integrated circuits. However, efforts are needed to standardize
GFET integrated circuits, establish reliability matrices, and commercialize the technology.

Industry-academia collaborations are crucial in translating research discoveries into


commercial products, paving the way for scalable production techniques and the
widespread adoption of GFET technology.5

More from AZoNano: How Does Atomic Emission Spectroscopy Work?

References and Further Reading


1. Schwierz, F. (2010). Graphene transistors. Nature nanotechnology.
doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2010.89
2. Reddy, D., Register, LF., Carpenter, GD., Banerjee, SK. (2011). Graphene field-effect
transistors. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics. doi.org/10.1088/0022-
3727/44/31/313001
3. Krsihna, BV., Ravi, S. Prakash, MD. (2021). Recent developments in graphene based
field effect transistors. Materials Today: Proceedings.
doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.07.678
4. Wang, S., Qi, X., Hao, D., Moro, R., Ma, Y., Ma, L. (2022). Recent advances in
graphene-based field-effect-transistor biosensors: A review on biosensor designing
strategy. Journal of the Electrochemical Society. doi.org/ 10.1149/1945-7111/ac4f24
5. Chandrasekar, L., Pradhan, K.P., 2023. Applications of graphene in electronics:
graphene field effect transistors. In Recent Advances in Graphene and Graphene-
Based Technologies. doi.org/10.1088/978-0-7503-3999-5ch7

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What is a Graphene Field Effect Transistor?

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private
capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A
AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the
Terms and conditions of use of this website.

Written by

Gopika G, Ph.D
Gopika received a PhD degree in Engineering, MTech in Nano Technology and BE in Electronics
and Communication Engineering. Her research work during her PhD was based on applications of
2D layered transition metal di-chalcogenide materials in excitonic solar cells. She is interested in
pursuing research in 2D materials-based wearable electronics and solar cells. Gopika is a self
motivated person, a good team players, and has good interpersonal skills and leadership qualities.

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