IBM researchers have achieved another advance in graphene field-effect transistors, a technology that could lead to transistors vastly faster than those available today. The research team demonstrated the operation of graphene at GHz frequencies, achieving the highest reported frequencies using this non-silicon material.
Graphene is a special form of graphite, consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms packed in honeycomb lattice, similar to atomic-scale chicken wire. How fast a transistor operates is determined by the size of the device and the speed at which electrons travel. In graphene, electrons propagate at a very high electron speed. That characteristic is essential for achieving high-speed, high-performance transistors.
"Integrating new materials along with the miniaturization of transistors is the driving force in improving the performance of next-generation electronic chips," said a joint statement from the IBM researchers on the project.
The research is part of an effort to develop the next generation of communication devices. A report on the work, entitled "Operation of Graphene Transistors at GHz Frequencies," was published this month in the journal Nano Letters.
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IBM Scientists Develop World's Fastest Graphene Transistor (press release)