Towards ballistic transport in graphene

TL;DR

This paper investigates how extrinsic factors affect graphene device quality and proposes a fabrication method to achieve near-ideal ballistic transport properties.

Contribution

It identifies substrate Coulomb scatterers as the main quality limiter and introduces a reproducible fabrication scheme for high-quality graphene devices.

Findings

Trapped Coulomb scatterers on substrates significantly reduce device quality.

Proposed fabrication scheme improves device reproducibility and quality.

Transport properties in improved devices approach ballistic transport predictions.

Abstract

Graphene is a fascinating material for exploring fundamental science questions as well as a potential building block for novel electronic applications. In order to realize the full potential of this material the fabrication techniques of graphene devices, still in their infancy, need to be refined to better isolate the graphene layer from the environment. We present results from a study on the influence of extrinsic factors on the quality of graphene devices including material defects, lithography, doping by metallic leads and the substrate. The main finding is that trapped Coulomb scatterers associated with the substrate are the primary factor reducing the quality of graphene devices. A fabrication scheme is proposed to produce high quality graphene devices dependably and reproducibly. In these devices, the transport properties approach theoretical predictions of ballistic transport.