Nanoelectronic devices based on graphene for high frequency applications

The objectives of the projects are:

• The design,simulation, fabrication and characterization of a coplanar line (CPW) on graphene supported by a SiO2/Si substrate working up to 110 GHz
• The design, simulation, fabrication and characterization of a multiplicator on graphene supported by a SiO2/Si substrate operating up 60 GHz
• The design, simulation and fabrication of a graphene Schottky diode supported by a SiO2/Si substrate operating up to 60 GHz.

The analysis in of the objectives and foreseen advantages are presented below:

• The CPW on graphene is the key element for the propagating millimeter waves beyond 60 GHz; this is a new device where a miniaturized coplanar  waveguide (CPW) consisting of three metallic electrodes will be deposited over graphene using electron beam lithography.
• The graphene multiplier is a key device for generating the millimeter wave signals to be transmitted by an antenna; this is a new device  based on the nonlinearities of a graphene CPW which will be used to upconvert the excited input microwave signals.
• The Schottky diode on graphene is the key device for detecting millimeter wave signal; this device will be done by using suitable metals for graphene CPW to get a Schottky and a resistive contact respectively.

So, we will have the three basic components for an ultrafast communication link working beyond 60 GHz , and targeting 100 GHz.

The project will help us to improve the skills in the area of graphene technologies which is spread now in few countries in the world and to position us at the top of applied nanotechnologies in the area of communications. All the objectives are ambitions and are at the level of state of the art and beyond.
The devices presented in the project are positioned in the figure below:

Method and approach.
The project will be developed in five workpackages and will be reported in four stages
The four workapackages are :
WP1 –graphene and substrate fabrication and characterization.
WP2- the graphene coplanar waveguide
WP3-the graphene multiplier
WP4-the graphene Schottky diode
WP5-disemination results of the project.