A new study proves that graphene—the conductive material that has been praised for being incredibly thin, fast, and strong—is just as amazing as it sounds. Ever since it was first discovered in 2004, the scientific community has been racing to develop ways to use this “wonder material” to engineer electronic devices for many industries. Now, a study led by Plymouth University has confirmed that graphene transmits signals without any energy loss. The research proves that graphene out-performs any other known material when carrying high-frequency electrical signals compared to direct current.
An accurate understanding of the electromagnetic properties of graphene over a broad range of frequencies (from direct current to over 10 GHz) has been an important quest for several groups around the world. Initial measurements gave conflicting results with theory because graphene’s intrinsic properties are often masked by much larger interfering signals from the supporting substrate, metallic contacts and measurement probes. Our results for the first time not only confirm the theoretical properties of graphene but also open up many new applications of the material in high-speed electronics and bio-sensing.
The results of the study are now being used to develop high-speed and efficient low noise amplifiers, mixers, radiation detectors and novel bio-sensors. The research was funded by the EU Graphene Flagship, EPSRC, ERC and Nokia Technologies and is described in IOP 2D Materials Journal.
