Graphene gas pumps

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a graphene membrane system capable of controlling and pumping tiny amounts of gas at the nanoscale, using electrostatic actuation and laser interferometry for precise measurement.

Contribution

It introduces a novel graphene-based gas pump with independent membrane control, enabling manipulation of gas flow at the attolitre scale.

Findings

Graphene membranes can be electrostatically actuated at atmospheric pressure.

The system can pump attolitre quantities of gas.

Laser interferometry effectively measures membrane displacement.

Abstract

We report on the development of a pneumatically coupled graphene membrane system, comprising of two circular cavities connected by a narrow trench. Both cavities and the trench are covered by a thin few-layer graphene membrane to form a sealed dumbbell shaped chamber. Local electrodes at the bottom of each cavity allow for actuation of each membrane separately, enabling electrical control and manipulation of the gas flow inside the channel. Using laser interferometry, we measure the displacement of each drum at atmospheric pressure, as a function of the frequency of the electrostatic driving force and provide a proof-of-principle of using graphene membranes to pump attolitre quantities of gases at the nanoscale.