Graphene allowed to grow under controlled conditions
Since two research groups, independent of one another, were in 2004 able to produce graphene and to measure it electrically, a form of gold rush has evolved around the new relative of graphite, because the carbon layers consisting of only a single layer of atoms have interesting properties. For example, the electrons contained therein are especially mobile and could in future replace the semiconductor materials used in fast computer chips today. However, research is still in the early stages. An inexpensive, well-controlled mass production method is sought after intensively worldwide. A possible method to pro-duce large-surface graphene is the epitaxy, the controlled growth of graphene in vac-uum. First results of a research cooperation between the Leibniz University Hannover and the PTB now show promise of improved growth control of single graphene layers. They have currently been published in the Applied Physics Letters trade journal. Following these initial investigations of the interactions be-tween the layers, the following work in Hanover aims to show the interaction within the layers. Then the PTB part follows: the quantum Hall effect is to be measured there, which has never yet been accomplished with graphene of such self-organized growth.more...