The project GraNitE is funded by MIUR in the framework of the European program "FET Flagship ERA-NET" (FLAG-ERA), which coordinates the integration of national/regional research into the work plans of the EU FET Flagship projects ("Graphene" and "Human Brain Project").
The aim of GraNitE is the development of a novel hybrid technology based on graphene heterostructures with Group III-Nitride semiconductors (III-N), i.e. GaN, AlN and related alloys.
These heterostructures will be fabricated on different kinds of substrates (Al2O3, SiC, GaN and large area Si wafers) using two complementary approaches, i.e.
(i) the transfer of graphene grown on catalytic metals to III-N substrates or thin films;
(ii) the direct growth of graphene on III-N by chemical vapour deposition (CVD), as well as the growth of III-N thin films on graphene by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) or metal-organic-chemical-vapour-deposition (MOCVD).
Novel devices concepts based on graphene/III-N junctions will be developed, such as the Graphene/AlGaN/GaN Schottky diode with a gate modulated Schottky barrier for logic applications, and the Hot Electron Transistor with Graphene Base for ultra-high-frequency (THz) applications. The project will include advanced characterization and simulation activities, to understand the correlation between structural/compositional properties of interfaces with electrical transport mechanisms.
The GraNitE project is coordinated by CNR-IMM, Catania.
The consortium includes 2 public research institutions (CNR-IMM, Italy; CNRS-CRHEA, France), a spin-off company (TopGaN, Poland) and a large enterprise (STMicroelectronics, Italy) with wide and complementary competences both on GaN physics and technology and on graphene.
Graphene integration with Nitride semiconductors is a growing research field.
It is currently under investigation by several groups in US, Korea and Japan, due to its potential impact in high power and high frequency electronics and optoelectronics. Thanks to its unique combination of expertises, the GraNitE consortium aims to strengthen EU position in this research field, extending the range of applications of graphene and GaN technologies .
Coordinator for CNR: Filippo Giannazzo
