Graphene Memory Device

ABSTRACT: We aim to undertake a Phase I study on radiation hardened graphene memory devices for military and space applications. This project will focus on developing a nonvolatile single-layer graphene ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FET) memory device. This device incorporates non-volatility arising from a ferroelectric film component (generating hysteresis & non-volatility from correlated effects), coupled with graphene"s superior electron transport FET properties to provide transducer electrical read-out functionality. The outcome of Phase I will be an optimized graphene ferroelectric FET device design to be fabricated in Phase II. BENEFIT: Graphene-based nanoelectronics have emerged over the past several years, mostly funded in the promise of going beyond CMOS as contenders for logic and memory functionality. Graphene offers power dissipation advantages as well as fundamental material advantages over silicon, hence its attractiveness and candidacy for use in military and space applications. Its super high mobility and thermal conductivity are the highest of all materials. However, before graphene-based logic is viable for space and military applications, device design concepts must be developed and proven that are both robust and can leverage graphene"s feature size advantages into a much higher density device. Obstacles include devising a reliable and producible device design, selecting substrate materials, and achieving superior profound advantages such as radiation hardness.