We present the science and technology roadmap for graphene, related two-dimensional crystals, and hybrid systems, targeting an evolution in technology, that might lead to impacts and benefits reaching into most areas of society. This roadmap was developed within the framework of the European Graphene Flagship and outlines the main targets and research areas as best understood at the start of this ambitious project. We provide an overview of the key aspects of graphene and related materials (GRMs), ranging from fundamental research challenges to a variety of applications in a large number of sectors, highlighting the steps necessary to take GRMs from a state of raw potential to a point where they might revolutionize multiple industries. We also define an extensive list of acronyms in an effort to standardize the nomenclature in this emerging field.

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Science and technology roadmap for graphene, related two-dimensional crystals, and hybrid systems

Graphene has been hailed as a wonderful material in electronics, and recently, it is the rising star in photonics, as well. The wonderful optical properties of graphene afford multiple functions of signal emitting, transmitting, modulating, and detection to be realized in one material. In this paper, the latest progress in graphene photonics, plasmonics, and broadband optoelectronic devices is reviewed. Particular emphasis is placed on the ability to integrate graphene photonics onto the silicon platform to afford broadband operation in light routing and amplification, which involves components like polarizer, modulator, and photodetector. Other functions like saturable absorber and optical limiter are also reviewed.

Graphene photonics, plasmonics, and broadband optoelectronic devices.

The ultrafast relaxation and recombination dynamics of photogenerated electrons and holes in epitaxial graphene are studied using optical-pump Terahertz-probe spectroscopy. The conductivity in graphene at Terahertz frequencies depends on the carrier concentration as well as the carrier distribution in energy. Time-resolved studies of the conductivity can therefore be used to probe the dynamics associated with carrier intraband relaxation and interband recombination. We report the electron-hole recombination times in epitaxial graphene for the first time. Our results show that carrier cooling occurs on sub-picosecond time scales and that interband recombination times are carrier density dependent.

Ultrafast Optical-Pump Terahertz-Probe Spectroscopy of the Carrier Relaxation and Recombination Dynamics in Epitaxial Graphene

2D Layered Materials: Synthesis, Nonlinear Optical Properties, and Device Applications

Low-dimensional materials, due to their unique and versatile properties, are very interesting for numerous applications in electronics and optoelectronics. Recently rediscovered black phosphorus, with a graphite-like layered structure, can be effectively exfoliated up to the single atomic layer called phosphorene. Contrary to graphene, it possesses a direct band gap controllable by the number of stacked atomic layers. For those reasons, black phosphorus is now intensively investigated and can complement or replace graphene in various photonics and electronics applications. Here, we demonstrate that black phosphorus can serve as a broadband saturable absorber and can be used for ultrashort optical pulse generation. The mechanically exfoliated ∼300 nm thick layers of black phosphorus were transferred onto the fiber core, and under pulsed excitation at 1560 nm wavelength, its transmission increases by 4.6%. We have demonstrated that the saturable absorption of black phosphorus is polarization sensitive. The fabricated device was used to mode-lock an Er-doped fiber laser. The generated optical solitons with the 10.2 nm bandwidth and 272 fs duration were centered at 1550 nm. The obtained results unambiguously show that black phosphorus can be effectively used for ultrashort pulse generation with performances similar or even better than currently used graphene or carbon nanotubes. This application of black phosphorus proves its great potential to future practical use in photonics.

Black phosphorus saturable absorber for ultrashort pulse generation

We report, for the first time to our knowledge, femtosecond pulse generation from a graphene mode-locked Cr:ZnSe laser at 2500 nm. To minimize the insertion losses at the lasing wavelength, high-quality monolayer graphene transferred on a CaF2 substrate was used in the experiments. Once mode-locking was initiated, the laser generated a stable train of 226 fs pulses with a time–bandwidth product of 0.39. The mode-locked laser operated at a pulse repetition rate of 77 MHz and produced 80 mW output power with an incident pump power of 1.6 W. To our knowledge, this is the longest laser wavelength at which graphene-based passive mode-locking has been demonstrated to date.

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Graphene mode-locked femtosecond Cr:ZnSe laser at 2500 nm

High-quality monolayer graphene as large as 1.2×1.2 cm2 was synthesized by chemical vapor deposition and used as a transmitting saturable absorber for efficient passive mode-locking of a femtosecond bulk solid-state laser. The monolayer graphene mode-locked Cr:forsterite laser was tunable around 1.25 μm and delivered sub-100 fs pulses with output powers up to 230 mW. The nonlinear optical characteristics of the monolayer graphene saturable absorber and the mode-locked operation were then compared with the case of the bilayer graphene saturable absorber.

High-quality, large-area monolayer graphene for efficient bulk laser mode-locking near 1.25 μm.

New Acentric Core Structure for Organic Electrooptic Crystals Optimal for Efficient Optical-to-THz Conversion

Large-area monolayer graphene, synthesized by chemical vapor deposition, was transferred to a 1-in. quartz substrate. The high-quality monolayer graphene has been subject to characterization of the nonlinear properties near 1 μm and was successfully applied as saturable absorber for passive mode-locking of a femtosecond Yb:KLuW laser. The diode-pumped mode-locked Yb:KLuW laser was tunable around 1.04 μm and delivered pulses as short as 160 fs. The maximum output power of 160 mW was demonstrated for 203 fs pulse duration. The mode-locked laser results are comparable to those demonstrated with the same laser gain medium using single-walled carbon nanotubes as saturable absorbers.

Graphene mode-locked femtosecond Yb:KLuW laser

We report Q-switched operation of a planar waveguide laser by evanescent-field interaction with single-walled carbon nanotubes deposited on top of the waveguide. The saturable-absorber-integrated gain medium, which operates based on evanescent-field interaction, enables the realization of a diode-pumped 2.5-cm-long Q-switched Yb:KYW waveguide laser emitting at 1030 nm. With such a compact cavity design, we achieve maximumoutput powers of up to 30 mW, corresponding to a single-pulse energy of 124 nJ, at 241 kHz repetition rate. The shortest pulse duration of 433 ns is generated at a repetition rate of 231 kHz.

Jun Wan Kim

Papers

Graphene mode-locked femtosecond Cr:ZnSe laser at 2500 nm

High-quality, large-area monolayer graphene for efficient bulk laser mode-locking near 1.25 μm.

New Acentric Core Structure for Organic Electrooptic Crystals Optimal for Efficient Optical-to-THz Conversion

Graphene mode-locked femtosecond Yb:KLuW laser

Yb:KYW planar waveguide laser Q-switched by evanescent-field interaction with carbon nanotubes.