IBM spins nanotubes, wire and graphene
Summary: IBM has revealed three new developments that aim to power tomorrow's digital technology. Based on nanotubes, nanowires and graphene, their common factor is compatibility with today's production techniques
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Graphene wafer diagram
This is how you make a silicon wafer with graphene components. The set of processes, listed down the right-hand side of the image, are common to most silicon device fabrication, making the whole production sequence very relevant on the path to working commercial parts.
Graphene is deposited as a single layer across the entire wafer, which is then formed into the right pattern for the components it will help form. Other techniques shared with mainstream state-of-the-art wafer production include ultra-thin hafnium dielectrics and metal gates.
The square grey spiral on top, placed during inductor metal formation, is particular to this design and applicable mainly to radio frequency circuits such as this one.
Image credit: IBM
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