Graphene-based fast electronics and optoelectronics

Ph. Avouris*, Y-.M. Lin, F. Xia, T. Mueller, D.B. Farmer, C. Dimitrakopoulos, A. Grill
IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

Graphene is a covalent 2D electron system comprised of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged
in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice. It has a unique electronic structure with linear dispersion,
vanishing effective mass, extremely high carrier velocities, strong optical absorption over a wide
wavelength range, and excellent thermal and mechanical properties [1]. Because of these
characteristics there has been a strong interest in using it in electronics and optoelectronics.
Because graphene does not have a bandgap, applications in digital devices are currently not
possible. However, the limited gate-field induced tunabilty of the current through it and the
excellent transport properties recommend it for fast analog applications. Here we will
demonstrate and discuss applications in radio-frequency (RF) transistors and fast photodetectors.
For technological applications it is important to start with large (wafer) scale, well
characterized graphene. This is achieved using the thermal decomposition of SiC wafers. On the
resulting graphene layer metal contacts (TilPd/Au) are deposited by thermal evaporation and a
gate stack involves first depositing an organic seed layer followed by HfD2 deposition by ALD
and the metal gate [2]. Fig. lA shows such a 2" wafer with lithographically fabricated arrays of
RF graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) and Fig. IB an individual GFET. The RF
performance of such devices is determined by measuring their S-parameters using network
analyzer techniques. An example of the frequency dependence of the current gain (S21) of such
devices is shown in Fig. lC for two GFETs with gate lengths of 550 DID and 240 DID [3] As we .

can see excellent cutoff frequencies (fT) of 53 and 100 GHz are achieved, respectively. These are
excellent values given the early stage of development of this field and the very modest gate
lengths used. We note that same gate length Si-CMOS transistors have fT of 40GHz.
The principle of graphene fast photodetectors is based on the presence of long-range
band-bending caused by the charge transfer doping at metal-graphene contacts. While
photoexcitation in bulk graphene is followed by rapid e-h recombination, excitation near a contact
leads to a photocurrent because the resulting built-in field separates the electrons and holes. The
direction of the fields at source and drain contacts are opposite and therefore, simultaneous
illumination of both contacts of a symmetric device would lead to equal but opposite polarity
photo-currents and no net photocurrent. Figure 2A shows the photoresponse of such a two
terminal photodetector at 1.55J.Ull [4] No degradation in the photo-response was observed up to
the frequency limit of our measurement system at 40GHz. Simple calculations indicate that the
frequency should be ultimately limited by the RC constant of the devices in the vicinity of -0.5
THz. Further efforts were directed towards increasing the device photoresponse and allowing the
full surface of the device to be used in photodetection. Our solution is shown in Figure 2B. It
involves depositing on graphene layer(s) interdigitated metal electrodes made of two different
metals, one with high and one with low workfunction. At appropriate backgate voltages, the two
different workfunctions and therefore different band-bendings generate an internal field that
allows photodetection over the entire face of the device. Furthermore, the multifinger electrodes
allow larger photocurrents to be generated. We have tested the use of this photodetector to
reliably detect optical data streams of 1.55J.lm light pusles at a rate of 10GBits/s. [5] This is
illustrated in Fig. 2C, which shows the relative photoresponse versus the light modulation
frequency at zero source-drain bias. The 3dB bandwidth (RC-limited) in this device is -16GHz.
The error-free detection at 10GBits/s is verified by the completely open eye shown in the inset.
[1] A. Geim, Science 324, 1530 (2009). [4] F. Xia et al. Nature Nanotech. 4, 839 (2009)
[2] D. Farmer et al. Nano Lett. 9,4474 (2009). [5] T. Mueller et al. Nature Photon. (2010), DOI:IO.1038
[3] Y.-M. Lin et al. Science 327, 662 (2010).

978-1-4244-7870-5/101$26.00 ©2010 IEEE 205

 100 /'::, 550-nm gate length Figure 1. (A) Graphene wafer with an
240-nm gate length
array of graphene RF transistors. (B)
o
N
.r:::
SEM image of an individual transistor .
.�
cu (C) Current gain (S21) versus frequency
CJ
10 plot of two RF transistors with gate
C
C!)
.... lengths of 550nm and 240nm showing
.... 100 GHz
� cutoff frequencies (fT) of 53GHz and
0
IOOGHz, respectively.

10 100

Frequency [GHz]
Source
-
(])
�
N 0
(f) ....
C!)
(/) � 0.6

I ii
c -6 « . Higll frequency
0 .s 0.4
Q. J!:- OG
C!) SKh
L...
I
:�
'"
0.2 ,
0 -12 c I Si
'0 8. 0.0
'"
-'= .,
Q. b ·0.2 i i
Q) -18 (;
> s::: -40 ·20 0 20 40 60 80
0..
� Gate bias VG (V)
a;
a::: 1 10 40
Gate
Frequency (GHz)

Figure 2. (A) Relative photoresponse (S21)

of a two-electrode graphene photodetector.
Inset: Comparison of the RF and DC
photoresponse. (B) Schematic and SEM of
the multifinger, two-metal graphene
photodetector. (C) Relative photoresponse
as a function the light modulation frequency
.10-l---2-�
3 �'--
5 �
6 -
7 8�
9 -- 2 - 3-' 8 9-- ---I
7 -
�5 �6 � of the same device. Inset: Open eye
0.1 1 10 indicating error-free detection of optical
Frequency (GHz)
data at IOGBits/s.

978-1-4244-7870-5/101$26.00 ©2010 IEEE 206