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In this article, the bias dependence of intrinsic channel thermal noise of single-layer (SL) graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) is thoroughly investigated by experimental observations and compact modeling. The findings indicate an increase of the specific noise as drain current increases, whereas a saturation trend is observed at very high carrier density regime. Besides, short-channel effects, such as velocity saturation (VS) also result in an increment of noise at higher electric fields. The main goal of this work is to propose a physics-based compact model that accounts for and accurately predicts the above experimental observations in short-channel GFETs. In contrast to long-channel MOSFET-based models adopted previously to describe thermal noise in graphene devices without considering the degenerate nature of graphene, in this work, a model for short-channel GFETs embracing the 2-D material’s underlying physics and including a bias dependence is presented. The implemented model is validated with deembedded high-frequency data from two short-channel devices at quasi-static (QS) region of operation. The model precisely describes the experimental data for a wide range of low-to-high drain current values without the need of any fitting parameter. Moreover, the consideration of the degenerate nature of graphene reveals a significant decrease of noise in comparison with the nondegenerate case and the model accurately captures this behavior. This work can also be of utmost significance from the circuit designers’ aspect since noise excess factor, a very important figure of merit for RF circuits implementation, is defined and characterized for the first time in graphene transistors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trap-induced hysteresis on the performance of a graphene field-effect transistor is experimentally diminished here by applying consecutive gate-to-source voltage pulses of opposing polarity. This measurement scheme is a practical and suitable approach to obtain reproducible device characteristics. Trap-affected and trap-reduced experimental data enable a discussion regarding the impact of traps on static and dynamic device performance. An analytical drain current model calibrated with the experimental data enables the study of the trap effects on the channel potential within the device. High-frequency (HF) figures of merit and the intrinsic gain of the device obtained from both experimental and synthetic data with and without hysteresis show the importance of considering the generally overlooked impact of traps for analog and HF applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the small-signal and noise characterization of different technologies based on chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and silicon-carbide (SiC) graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs). The noise model, built on noise figure measurements under $50~\Omega $ using the F50 method, was verified by additional source-pull measurements, with special care for the GFET stability. The four noise parameters were then extracted by using the validated F50 model up to 18 GHz, and the correlations between noise and small-signal parameters were shown for two different configurations: top-gated and back-gated GFETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a detailed parameter extraction methodology is proposed for low-frequency noise (LFN) in single-layer (SL) graphene transistors (GFETs) based on a recently established compact LFN model. The drain current and LFN of two short channel back-gated GFETs (L = 300 and 100 nm) were measured at lower and higher drain voltages, for a wide range of gate voltages covering the region away from charge neutrality point (CNP) up to CNP at p-type operation region. Current–voltage (IV) and LFN data were also available from a long-channel SL top solution-gated (SG) GFET (L = 5 μm), for both p- and n-type regions near and away CNP. At each of these regimes, the appropriate IV and LFN parameters can be accurately extracted. Regarding LFN, mobility fluctuation effect is dominant at CNP, and from there, the Hooge parameter αH can be extracted, whereas the carrier number fluctuation contribution which is responsible for the well-known M-shape bias dependence of output noise divided by squared drain current, also observed in our data, makes possible the extraction of the NT parameter related to the number of traps. In the less possible case of a Λ-shape trend, NT and αH can be extracted simultaneously from the region near CNP. Away from CNP, contact resistance can have a significant contribution to LFN, and from there, the relevant parameter SΔ R2 is defined. The LFN parameters described above can be estimated from the low drain voltage region of operation where the effect of velocity saturation (VS) mechanism is negligible. VS effect results in the reduction of LFN at higher drain voltages, and from there, the IV parameter hΩ which represents the phonon energy and is related to VS effect can be derived both from drain current and LFN data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the first graphene radiofrequency (RF) monolithic integrated balun circuit. It is composed of four integrated graphene field effect transistors (GFETs). This innovative active balun concept takes advantage of the GFET ambipolar behavior. It is realized using an advanced silicon carbide (SiC) based bilayer graphene FET technology having RF performances of about 20 GHz. Balun circuit measurement demonstrates its high frequency capability. An upper limit of 6 GHz has been achieved when considering a phase difference lower than 10° and a magnitude of amplitude imbalance less than 0.5 dB. Hence, this circuit topology shows excellent performance with large broadband performance and a functionality of up to one-third of the transit frequency of the transistor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current understanding of physical principles governing electronic transport in graphene field effect transistors (GFETs) has reached a level where we can model quite accurately device operation and predict intrinsic frequency limits of performance. In this work, we use this knowledge to analyze DC and RF transport properties of bottom-gated graphene on boron nitride field effect transistors exhibiting pronounced velocity saturation by substrate hyperbolic phonon polariton scattering, including Dirac pinch-off effect. We predict and demonstrate a maximum oscillation frequency exceeding 20 GHz. We discuss the intrinsic 0.1 THz limit of GFETs and envision plasma resonance transistors as an alternative for sub-THz narrow-band detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a fabrication process of graphene field effect transistors (GFETs) using natural oxidation of aluminum as dielectrics, which provide an alternative fabrication choice for future flexible electronics with the large scale and arbitrary substrates. The high-quality monolayer graphene is preserved by our process, and the mobility up to 3250 cm2/Vs is measured after whole device fabrication. GFETs with double bottom-gate structure varying from 300 to 100 nm in gate length have been characterized by both static and dynamic measurements. The total gate capacitances of our device structure are evaluated based on the measurement results of scattering parameters. We report an intrinsic current gain cutoff frequency (ft{\-\text {int}}) of 11 GHz and a maximum oscillation frequency (f\max ) of 8 GHz in devices with 100 nm gate length. Moreover, both the values of ft{\-\text {int}} and f\max for different gate lengths are also discussed. Our results indicate that the full process exhibits great potential, especially for graphene-based flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we have investigated the influence of the transfer process on the monocrystalline graphene in terms of quality, morphology and electrical properties by analyzing the data obtained from optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and electrical characterizations. The influence of Cu oxidation on graphene prior to the transfer is also discussed. Our results show that the controlled bubbling electrochemical delamination transfer is an easy and fast transfer technique suitable for transferring large single crystals graphene without degrading the graphene quality. Moreover, Raman spectroscopy investigation reveals that the Cu surface oxidation modifies the strain of the graphene film. We have observed that graphene laying on unoxidized Cu is subject to a biaxial strain in compression, while graphene on Cu oxide is subject to a biaxial strain in tension. However, after graphene was transferred to a host substrate, these strain effects were strongly reduced, leaving a homogeneous graphene on the substrate. The transferred single crystal graphene on silicon oxide substrate was used to fabricate transmission line method (TLM) devices. Electrical measurements show low contact resistance ~150 Ω·µm, which confirms the homogeneity and high quality of transferred graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an explicit small-signal graphene field-effect transistor (GFET) parameter extraction procedure based on a charge-based quasi-static model. The dependence of the small-signal parameters on both gate voltage and frequency is precisely validated by high-frequency (up to 18 GHz) on-wafer measurements from a 300 nm device. These parameters are studied simultaneously, in contrast to other works which focus exclusively on few. Efficient procedures have been applied to GFETs for the first time to remove contact and gate resistances from the Y -parameters. The use of these methods yields straightforward equations for extracting the small-signal model parameters, which is extremely useful for radio-frequency circuit design. Furthermore, we show for the first time experimental validation vs. both gate voltage and frequency of the intrinsic GFET non-reciprocal capacitance model. Accurate models are also presented for the gate voltage-dependence of the measured unity-gain and maximum oscillation frequencies as well as of the current and power gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that the Landau levels in epitaxial graphene in the presence of localized defects are significantly modified compared to those of an ideal system. We report on magnetospectroscopy experiments performed on high-quality samples. Besides typical interband magneto-optical transitions, we clearly observe additional transitions that involve perturbed states associated with short-range impurities such as vacancies. Their intensity is found to decrease with an annealing process and a partial self-healing over time is observed. Calculations of the perturbed Landau levels by using a delta-like potential show electronic states both between and at the same energies as the Laudau levels of ideal graphene. The calculated absorption spectra involving all perturbed and unperturbed states are in very good agreement with the experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]