Molecular Doping of Epigraphene for Device Applications
Doktorsavhandling, 2020

Epitaxial graphene grown on silicon carbide, or epigraphene, offers in principle a suitable platform for electronic applications of graphene which require scalable, reproducible, and high-quality material. However, one of the main drawbacks of epigraphene lies in the difficulty in controlling its carrier density, which hinders its usefulness in future applications.

To solve this problem, this thesis introduces a novel molecular doping method which utilizes acceptor molecules mixed with a polymer. This combination results in a dopant blend that is simple to apply onto epigraphene, and capable of providing controllable, potent, and homogeneous doping over large areas. This technique opens many different avenues for potential applications, three of which are explored in this work.

The doping method was successfully used to create practical graphene quantum resistance standards, based on the quantum Hall effect. It was confirmed by two independent metrology institutes that epigraphene meets the stringent criteria for use in precision measurements of resistance.

Doped epigraphene was also used to develop magnetic field sensors. These Hall sensors were shown to rival and even surpass the best graphene-based Hall sensors reported in literature thus far, including record-low magnetic field detection limits at room temperature. These Hall sensors also demonstrated promising performance at high temperatures, with the potential to one day outmatch industrial sensors in the automotive and military temperature ranges.

Lastly, doped epigraphene was used to create a proof-of-concept terahertz detector. The devices demonstrated highly sensitive and wide-band coherent detection of terahertz signals, with record-low power consumption requirements. It was found that an optimized device could potentially allow for the creation of detector arrays that can provide quantum limited detection across the entire terahertz range, and revolutionize sensors used in next-generation space telescopes.

Metrology

epitaxial graphene

THz

Graphene

Molecular Doping

Hall Effect

Kollektorn, Kemivägen 9
Opponent: Prof. Sophie Guéron, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides Orsay, Université Paris Sud, France

Författare

Hans He

Chalmers, Mikroteknologi och nanovetenskap, Kvantkomponentfysik

Operation of graphene quantum Hall resistance standard in a cryogen-free table-top system

2D Materials,;Vol. 2(2015)p. Art. no. 035015-

Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift

Fabrication of graphene quantum hall resistance standard in a cryogen-Table-Top system

2016 Conference on Precision Electromagnetic Measurements, CPEM 2016; The Westin OttawaOttawa; Canada; 10-15 July 2016,;(2016)p. Art no 7540516-

Paper i proceeding

Uniform doping of graphene close to the Dirac point by polymer-assisted assembly of molecular dopants

Nature Communications,;Vol. 9(2018)

Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift

Polymer-encapsulated molecular doped epigraphene for quantum resistance metrology

Metrologia,;Vol. 56(2019)

Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift

The performance limits of epigraphene Hall sensors doped across the Dirac point

Applied Physics Letters,;Vol. 116(2020)

Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift

Towards quantum-limited coherent detection of terahertz waves in charge-neutral graphene

Nature Astronomy,;Vol. 3(2019)p. 983-988

Övrig text i vetenskaplig tidskrift

Epitaxial graphene grown on silicon carbide, or epigraphene, offers in principle a suitable platform for electronic applications of graphene which require scalable, reproducible, and high-quality material. However, one of the main drawbacks of epigraphene lies in the difficulty in controlling its carrier density, which hinders its usefulness in future applications.

To solve this problem, this thesis introduces a novel molecular doping method which utilizes acceptor molecules mixed with a polymer. This combination results in a dopant blend that is simple to apply onto epigraphene, and capable of providing controllable, potent, and homogeneous doping over large areas. This technique opens many different avenues for potential applications, three of which are explored in this work.

The doping method was successfully used to create practical graphene quantum resistance standards, which meet the stringent criteria for use in precision measurements of resistance.

Doped epigraphene was also used to develop magnetic field sensors, which rival and even surpass the best graphene-based Hall sensors reported in literature thus far. These Hall sensors also demonstrated promising performance at high temperatures, with the potential to one day outmatch industrial sensors.

Lastly, doped epigraphene was used to create a proof-of-concept terahertz detector. It was found that an optimized device could potentially allow for the creation of detector arrays that can provide ultra-sensitive detection across the entire terahertz range, and revolutionize sensors used in next-generation space telescopes.

Styrkeområden

Nanovetenskap och nanoteknik

Produktion

Materialvetenskap

Fundament

Grundläggande vetenskaper

Drivkrafter

Innovation och entreprenörskap

Infrastruktur

Myfab (inkl. Nanotekniklaboratoriet)

Ämneskategorier (SSIF 2011)

Signalbehandling

Annan elektroteknik och elektronik

Den kondenserade materiens fysik

ISBN

978-91-7905-309-3

Doktorsavhandlingar vid Chalmers tekniska högskola. Ny serie: 4776

Utgivare

Chalmers

Kollektorn, Kemivägen 9

Online

Opponent: Prof. Sophie Guéron, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides Orsay, Université Paris Sud, France

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2026-07-29