Moving graphene from the lab to the factory: How 2D materials can transform everyday electronics

Graphene has delivered on that promise in the lab. EU researchers are currently working to support widespread adoption in high-end electronics, photonics and sensors.

Dr. Inge Asselberghs has been closely involved in advanced graphene research for the past decade. Currently, she is at the forefront of efforts to bring this “miracle substance” out of the laboratory and into society.

Asselberghs is part of an international team of researchers who have established a prototype manufacturing facility for graphene and other 2D materials at imec, the world’s leading nanoelectronics research institute based in Leuven, Belgium.

The team brings together expertise from 11 universities, research institutes and companies in six European countries as part of the 2D Experimental Pilot Line (2D-EPL). Their aim is to advance the fabrication and integration of graphene into prototypes for use in high-end electronics, photonics, and sensors.

Graphene has the potential to fundamentally transform many areas of technology. It is made up of only a single layer of carbon atoms and is extremely thin.

Graphene is extremely strong, light, flexible, and can conduct both heat and electricity. This makes it highly adaptable for a wide range of products, from next-generation batteries to advanced aviation and space applications.

“The hype started as soon as graphene was discovered. It was much more powerful than originally expected,” Asselberg said.

Recognizing the economic potential of graphene and other 2D materials, the EU launched the 10-year Graphene Flagship Initiative in 2013, bringing together 178 academic and industrial partners and with a budget of €1 billion. promoted research in this field. 2D-EPL is part of this broader effort.

experimental prototype

The purpose of the experimental pilot lines, installed at multiple locations, was to accelerate the use of graphene and other layered materials in the production of new prototypes for electronics, photonics, sensors and optoelectronics. This is an important step before integrating 2D materials into full-scale chip manufacturing.

“Our first goal was to figure out how to modify existing processes to manufacture graphene devices at wafer scale so they could be handled in automated manufacturing facilities,” Asselberg said.

A wafer is a thin circular slice of material used in the electronics and other industries. Reaching the stage where graphene can be routinely incorporated into sophisticated devices will be a major milestone.

perfect manufacturing

One drawback is that graphene and other 2D materials are thin and can be difficult to manufacture perfectly. It only takes a speck of dust, or even a few unwanted molecules, to cause a defect in graphene.

During the manufacturing process, the graphene needs to be protected with a thin polymer layer and then transferred to a silicon base. These thin layers must be handled very carefully. It was difficult to find a way to do this in an automated process.

“The room and tools need to be very well-maintained and clean to avoid getting particles on the device,” Asselberg says.

Imec’s specialized manufacturing facility is equipped with an assembly line to process graphene-based wafers with a diameter of 200 or 300 mm, which is the standard size used in silicon manufacturing facilities and is well known in the industry. Ta.

Large-scale manufacturing remains delicate, so other research partners have added tools, machinery, and knowledge to help “craft” the perfect graphene recipe.

exciting possibilities

Europe is a world leader in exploring the potential of graphene and other 2D materials.

“We’re in a pretty strong position in Europe for 2D materials because we’ve had consistent funding for this research over a long period of time,” said Harm Knoops, a Dutch researcher at Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology in Bristol, UK. ” he said.

His company specializes in the use of plasma technology to create and manipulate materials with atomic-scale precision and contributed to the 2D-EPL manufacturing process.

Researchers and industry excitement about 2D materials isn’t just focused on graphene. Researchers are also interested in other ultrathin materials that, like silicon, can act as semiconductors and be used in advanced manufacturing.

The potential of these materials has attracted interest from many sectors of industry. Potential customers have already contacted the research team with specific design requests.

stand at the top

Graphene’s big advantage is that it’s composed of carbon, one of the most common elements on Earth. Graphene integration is expected to support cheap, large-scale manufacturing of advanced electronics and sensors, and enable the development of yet-to-be-invented devices.

Graphene and other 2D materials are not yet ready for industrial deployment as part of advanced electronics, but they will certainly come to market eventually. Knoops, a member of the Graphene Flagship, said it could lead to better devices with ultra-fast transistors and sharper sensors.

“We have the potential to reduce power consumption in data centers, get faster internet speeds, and connect special sensors and medical devices to mobile phones.”