Raman spectroscopy is an integral part of graphene research. It is used to determine the number and orientation of layers, the quality and types of edge, and the effects of perturbations, such as electric and magnetic fields, strain, doping, disorder and functional groups. This, in turn, provides insight into all sp(2)-bonded carbon allotropes, because graphene is their fundamental building block. Here we review the state of the art, future directions and open questions in Raman spectroscopy of graphene. We describe essential physical processes whose importance has only recently been recognized, such as the various types of resonance at play, and the role of quantum interference. We update all basic concepts and notations, and propose a terminology that is able to describe any result in literature. We finally highlight the potential of Raman spectroscopy for layered materials other than graphene.

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Raman spectroscopy as a versatile tool for studying the properties of graphene

Worldwide commercial interest in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is reflected in a production capacity that presently exceeds several thousand tons per year. Currently, bulk CNT powders are incorporated in diverse commercial products ranging from rechargeable batteries, automotive parts, and sporting goods to boat hulls and water filters. Advances in CNT synthesis, purification, and chemical modification are enabling integration of CNTs in thin-film electronics and large-area coatings. Although not yet providing compelling mechanical strength or electrical or thermal conductivities for many applications, CNT yarns and sheets already have promising performance for applications including supercapacitors, actuators, and lightweight electromagnetic shields.

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Carbon Nanotubes: Present and Future Commercial Applications

Raman spectroscopy of carbon nanotubes

Transparent films of carbon nanotubes can accommodate strains of up to 150% and demonstrate conductivities as high as 2,200 S cm−1 in the stretched state.

Skin-like pressure and strain sensors based on transparent elastic films of carbon nanotubes

The compelling demand for higher performance and lower power consumption in electronic systems is the main driving force of the electronics industry's quest for devices and/or architectures based on new materials. Here, we provide a review of electronic devices based on two-dimensional materials, outlining their potential as a technological option beyond scaled complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor switches. We focus on the performance limits and advantages of these materials and associated technologies, when exploited for both digital and analog applications, focusing on the main figures of merit needed to meet industry requirements. We also discuss the use of two-dimensional materials as an enabling factor for flexible electronics and provide our perspectives on future developments.

Electronics based on two-dimensional materials

Carbon nanotube thin-film transistors are expected to enable the fabrication of high-performance, flexible and transparent devices using relatively simple techniques. However, as-grown nanotube networks usually contain both metallic and semiconducting nanotubes, which leads to a trade-off between charge-carrier mobility (which increases with greater metallic tube content) and on/off ratio (which decreases). Many approaches to separating metallic nanotubes from semiconducting nanotubes have been investigated, but most lead to contamination and shortening of the nanotubes, thus reducing performance. Here, we report the fabrication of high-performance thin-film transistors and integrated circuits on flexible and transparent substrates using floating-catalyst chemical vapour deposition followed by a simple gas-phase filtration and transfer process. The resulting nanotube network has a well-controlled density and a unique morphology, consisting of long (~10 µm) nanotubes connected by low-resistance Y-shaped junctions. The transistors simultaneously demonstrate a mobility of 35 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and an on/off ratio of 6 × 10(6). We also demonstrate flexible integrated circuits, including a 21-stage ring oscillator and master-slave delay flip-flops that are capable of sequential logic. Our fabrication procedure should prove to be scalable, for example, by using high-throughput printing techniques.

Flexible high-performance carbon nanotube integrated circuits

Drain current collapse in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs has been studied systematically by applying bias stress to the device. The collapse was suppressed by light illumination with energy smaller than the bandgap. The position dependence of the light illumination and the measurement of series source and drain resistances revealed that the collapse was caused by the surface states between the gate and drain electrodes, which captured electrons injected from the gate. The current collapse was eliminated by the passivation of the device surface with Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/ film.

A study on current collapse in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs induced by bias stress

We have fabricated n-type carbon nanotube field effect transistors by choosing the contact metal. Single-walled carbon nanotubes were grown directly on a SiO2∕Si substrate by chemical vapor deposition using patterned metal catalysts. Following the nanotube growth, Ca contacts with a small work function were formed by evaporating and lifting off the metal. The devices showed n-type transfer characteristics without any doping into the nanotube channel. In contrast, the devices with Pd contacts showed p-type conduction. These results can be explained by taking into account the work functions of the contact metals.

n-type carbon nanotube field-effect transistors fabricated by using Ca contact electrodes

AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with a thin InGaN cap layer have been proposed to implement the normally off HEMTs. The key idea is to employ the polarization-induced field in the InGaN cap layer, by which the conduction band is raised, which leads to the normally off operation. The fabricated HEMT with an In0.2Ga0.8N cap layer with a thickness of 5 nm showed normally off operation with a threshold voltage of 0.4 V and a maximum transconductance of 85 mS/mm for the device with a 1.9-mum-long gate. By etching off the In0.2Ga0.8N cap layer at the access region using gate electrode as an etching mask, the maximum transconductance has increased from 85 to 130 mS/mm due to a reduction of the parasitic source resistance.

AlGaN/GaN HEMTs With Thin InGaN Cap Layer for Normally Off Operation

This letter describes a new resonant tunneling logic gate. The concept of the proposed gate has two features: 1) to employ the monostable-to-bistable transition of a circuit consisting of two N-type negative differential resistance (NDR) devices connected serially, and 2) to drive the logic gate by oscillating the bias voltage to produce the transition. This mode of operation has a significant advantage in that a large number of fanouts is possible without sacrificing the high-speed operation. Serially connected resonant tunneling field effect transistors having p+-junction gates were fabricated to test the above operation principle. The inverter operation of the proposed logic gate has been successfully achieved at room temperature.

Takashi Mizutani

Papers

Flexible high-performance carbon nanotube integrated circuits

A study on current collapse in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs induced by bias stress

n-type carbon nanotube field-effect transistors fabricated by using Ca contact electrodes

AlGaN/GaN HEMTs With Thin InGaN Cap Layer for Normally Off Operation

A New Resonant Tunneling Logic Gate Employing Monostable-Bistable Transition