Exceptionally accurate large graphene quantum Hall arrays for the new SI

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates an exceptionally accurate large graphene quantum Hall array that significantly advances resistance metrology, enabling improved realizations of SI units like the ohm, ampere, and kilogram with unprecedented precision.

Contribution

It introduces a record-sized graphene quantum Hall array achieving near-perfect quantization accuracy at high currents, surpassing previous limitations and enabling better SI unit realizations.

Findings

Achieved 0.2 ppb quantization accuracy at 5 mA current

Demonstrated scalability and reliability of large graphene QH arrays

Enabled potential improvements in SI base unit realizations

Abstract

The quantum Hall effect (QHE) is a cornerstone in the new International System of Units (SI), wherein the base units are derived from seven fundamental constants such as Planck's constant h and elementary charge e. Graphene has revolutionized practical resistance metrology by enabling the realization of quantized resistance h/2e^2 = 12.9... kOhm under relaxed experimental conditions. Looking ahead, graphene also has the potential to improve realizations of the electronic kilogram using the Kibble balance, and the quantum Ampere in wide current ranges. However, these prospects require different resistance values than practically achievable in single QHE devices, while also imposing stringent demands on energy dissipation in single QHE devices, ultimately requiring currents almost two orders of magnitude higher than the typical QHE breakdown currents IC ~ 100 uA achievable in graphene. Here we present unprecedented accuracy in the quantization of a record sized quantum Hall array (QHA), demonstrating RK/236 ~ 109 Ohm with 0.2 part-per-billion (nOhm/Ohm) accuracy with IC over 5 mA (~ 1 nOhm/Ohm accuracy for IC = 8.5 mA), using epitaxial graphene on silicon carbide (epigraphene). The array quantization accuracy, comparable to the most precise universality tests of QHE in single Hall bar devices, together with the scalability and reliability of this approach pave the road for superior realizations of three key units in the modern SI: the ohm, the ampere, and the kilogram.