Monolithic electronic circuits based on epitaxial graphene

我们提出了一个概念，以建立电子器件和电路采用的材料系统“外延石墨烯在SiC”。该材料系统由石墨烯、碳化硅和其间的外延限定界面组成。我们已经展示了使用半导体作为沟道的单个晶体管的功能，因此与纯石墨烯晶体管相比，显示出出色的开/关比。 此外，与现有技术的金属接触相比，石墨烯作为接触材料的使用提供了与SiC的上级欧姆接触。我们看到了一种利用这种晶体管原理建立电路的方法，它可以用作开关、模拟电路和数字电路，直到一个完整的逻辑。不需要金属互连。这些器件易于制造，并且可以在与石墨烯100 GHz放大和SiC功率晶体管等现有概念相同的芯片上并排工作。由于良好的材料特性，这些电路预计将在高温和高频下工作，并可能提供新的应用和实验。石墨烯接触也非常适合于揭示SiC中肖特基界面的新情况，因为它允许使用局部探针从顶部进入针孔等。此外，该系统遵循非常不寻常的设计原则，其中图案化的二维材料层定义了整个系统的属性。我们预计，所提出的概念作为一个蓝图，为进一步的电子电路采用二维材料。

We propose a concept to build electronic devices and circuits employing the material system "epitaxial graphene on SiC". This material system consists of graphene, silicon carbide, and the epitaxially defined interface in between. We have already demonstrated the functionality of a single transistor that used the semiconductor as channel and consequently displayed excellent on/off ratios, in contrast to pure graphene transistors. Moreover, the usage of graphene as contact material delivers superior ohmic contacts compared to state-of-the-art metal contacts to SiC. We see a way to establish electrical circuits using this transistor principle, which may be used as switches, analog circuits, and digital circuits, up to a full logic. Metallic interconnects are not required. These devices are simple to fabricate and may operate side-by-side on the same chip to existing concepts like graphene 100 GHz amplification and SiC power transistors. Due to favorable material properties, these circuits are expected to operate at elevated temperatures and at high frequencies and may provide access to novel applications and experiments. Graphene contacts are also well suited to shed new light on the Schottky interface in SiC because it allows for access to pinholes etc. from the top using local probes. Moreover, the system follows a very unusual design principle, in which the patterned two-dimensional material layer defines the properties of the entire system. We anticipate that the presented concept serves as a blueprint for further electronic circuits employing two-dimensional materials.