SCIENTISTS have developed a simple and powerful method for creating resilient, customised and high-performing graphene: by layering it on top of glass.
While graphene has been touted for its properties and suitability for electronics, it has thus far made slow in-roads into commercial and industrial products and processes.
By layering this two-dimensional material on top of common glass, it will be possible to utilise the outstanding electronic properties of graphene for a new class of microelectronic and optoelectronic devices—everything from efficient solar cells to touch screens.
seen very slow adoption into commercial and industrial products and processes.
This collaboration of researchers is being led by teams at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, Stony Brook University (SBU), the U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium (USPVMC), and SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly).
The researchers say the work could significantly advance the development of truly scalable graphene technologies.
The scientists built the proof-of-concept graphene devices on substrates made of common soda-lime glass, but found the sodium atoms in the glass created a high electron density in the graphene, which is essential to many processes.
The effect remained strong even when the devices were exposed to air for several weeks—a clear improvement over competing techniques.
Like other semiconductor materials, graphene needs to be doped so it can be optimised for use in devices. However, the graphene doping process involves introducing external chemicals, which increases complexity, and also makes the material more vulnerable to degradation.
For successful real-world devices, it is also very important that the local number of electrons transferred to the graphene does not degrade over time.
The research revealed that the soda lime glass substrate serves as a source of sodium doping, and improved device performance in a way not seen in the sodium-free substrate.
The next step is to demonstrate fine control over the doping strength and spatial patterning.