Communications of the ACM
Is Water the Key to Cheaper Nanoelectronics?
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Kavli Institute of Nanoscience researchers have developed a way to use water to quickly transfer layers from one surface to another by exploiting the fact that different materials have different hydrophilicity, a discovery that could lead to lower manufacturing costs for nanoelectronics.
The researchers, led by Kavli's Gregory Schneider and Cees Dekker, developed a solid hydrophobic layer on top of a silicon wafer by dipping it in a solution containing a hydrophobic polymer. They then submerged the wafer in water, which wedged the layers off the silicon base. Intermolecular forces between the graphene and silicon provide a stable attachment and eliminate the need for glue, Dekker says.
Repeating the technique several times would allow graphene layers to be built up into a complex nanoelectronic structure. "A [three-dimensional] microelectrode can be designed, layer by layer, using our 'wedging' transfer technique," Schneider says.
From New Scientist
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