Feature: Semiconductors
IMEC cleanroom
Taking graphene to market By Kari Hjelt, Head of Innovation, Graphene Flagship
R
emember the triode? Unless you’re an early-tech enthusiast, it’s unlikely. Used as a switch in the first computers, this vacuum tube consumed a great
deal of power. It was unreliable and quickly replaced with the silicon chip. Now, the silicon chip is likely to be superseded by new materials, such as graphene, which have the potential to shiſt entire industries.
Graphene Graphene is a material just an atom thick (Figure 1), yet it has exceptional physical properties such as strength, transparency and great efficiency in conducting heat and electricity. Some scientists consider it a semi-metal and have created graphene FETs with bipolar conduction. To encourage graphene’s widespread
adoption and commercialisation, the European Commission launched the Graphene Flagship in 2013. With a €1bn
28 June 2021
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
budget and initial period of ten years for the project, the Graphene Flagship is one of Europe’s biggest research initiatives, successfully facilitating the transition of graphene and related materials from academic laboratories to applications. More than halfway through the ten-
year period, the Graphene Flagship’s member partners have developed over 25 commercial products, using graphene’s impressive characteristics to improve the properties of other semiconductors. However, bringing a new material to
market is not without its challenges. Historically, it takes an average of 30
years to take a material from invention to commercialisation. One example is aluminium, which was first isolated in 1824, and for part of the 19th century was considered a “luxurious” metal, more expensive than gold. Aluminium wasn’t widely used until a practical manufacturing process was introduced in 1886, and it didn’t become popular until the early 1900s.
Materials that also experienced similar time lags in their adoption include titanium, Teflon, Velcro and polycarbonate, used in making bulletproof windows and panels.
Graphene commercialisation Careful planning is essential at the point where research and commercialisation start to overlap – particularly due to the sharp contrast between the languages used by academia and industry. To ensure this process runs smoothly and successfully, a key driver is the establishment of efficient networks between the two worlds. Te Graphene Flagship has done this through a core consortium of over 150 academic and industrial groups, of which a half plan to incorporate graphene into products. Tanks to this multidisciplinary network,
the Graphene Flagship envisioned the Graphene Technology and Innovation Roadmap – an expected timeline for the adoption of graphene technology. Te roadmap focuses on basic industry areas,
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