Communications of the ACM
Graphene Could Revolutionize the Internet of Things
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne researchers have produced a tunable graphene-based device that could significantly increase the speed and efficiency of wireless communication systems.
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Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) say they have developed a tunable, graphene-based device that could significantly boost the speed and efficiency of wireless communication systems.
The system works at very high frequencies, delivering unexpected results.
The solution is designed to replace tunable capacitors, which can be found in all wireless devices, by tuning the circuits to different frequencies so that they can operate across a wide range of frequency bands. In addition, it meets other needs that neither microelectromechanical systems nor metal–oxide semiconductor capacitors can, such as good performance at a high frequency, miniaturization, and the ability to be tuned using low energy.
The sandwich-shaped structure utilizes the fact that a two-dimensional gas of electrons in a quantum well can behave like a quantum capacitance. "It's by applying voltage that we can 'tune' our capacitors to a given frequency, just like tuning a radio to get different stations," says EPFL researcher Clara Moldovan.
She says the new device can be stiff or flexible, is easily miniaturized, and uses very little energy.
"Some have claimed that graphene will one day replace silicon technology, but in reality, graphene is most effective in the realm of electronics when it is combined with functional silicon blocks," says EPFL's Adrian Ionescu.
From Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne
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