Graphene field-effect transistor array with integrated electrolytic gates scaled to 200 mm

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel planar graphene EGFET architecture with integrated gates, enabling wafer-scale fabrication and improved sensor performance, advancing the potential for mass production of graphene-based devices.

Contribution

The paper presents a new integrated, planar architecture for graphene EGFETs that eliminates external gates and allows wafer-scale manufacturing.

Findings

Carrier mobility up to 1800 cm2 V-1 s-1 achieved

Sensor discriminates saline concentrations effectively

Wafer-scale fabrication demonstrated

Abstract

Ten years have passed since the beginning of graphene research. In this period we have witnessed breakthroughs both in fundamental and applied research. However, the development of graphene devices for mass production has not yet reached the same level of progress. The architecture of graphene field-effect transistors (FET) has not significantly changed, and the integration of devices at the wafer scale has generally not been sought. Currently, whenever an electrolyte-gated FET (EGFET) is used, an external, cumbersome, out-of-plane gate electrode is required. Here, an alternative architecture for graphene EGFET is presented. In this architecture, source, drain, and gate are in the same plane, eliminating the need for an external gate electrode and the use of an additional reservoir to confine the electrolyte inside the transistor active zone. This planar structure with an integrated gate allows for wafer-scale fabrication of high-performance graphene EGFETs, with carrier mobility up to 1800 cm2 V-1 s-1. As a proof-of principle, a chemical sensor was achieved. It is shown that the sensor can discriminate between saline solutions of different concentrations. The proposed architecture will facilitate the mass production of graphene sensors, materializing the potential of previous achievements in fundamental and applied graphene research.