Graphene: Is it the future for semiconductors? An overview of the material, devices, and applications

Abstract

An overview of graphene's properties, its uses in devices and applications is studied. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) define graphene as a single carbon layer of the graphite structure, describing its nature by analogy to a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon of quasi infinite size. In 1947, Wallace used band theory of solids with tight binding approximation, to explain many of the physical properties of graphite. The 2D system of graphene allows access to the subtle and rich physics of quantum electrodynamics in a bench-top experiment. Bilayer graphene shows another type of quasi-particles that are massive Dirac fermions described by a combination of both Dirac and Schrödinger equations. The high mobility even at highest E-field-induced concentrations makes the carriers go ballistic giving rise to a ballistic FET device at 300 K. It also has its applications in chemical sensors and MEMS-based applications. Another potential near-term application of graphene is the transparent touch screen demonstrated by Samsung.