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Extreme Current Density and Breakdown Mechanism in Graphene on Diamond Substrate
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Condensed Matter Physics of Energy Materials.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7541-9023
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Condensed Matter Physics of Energy Materials.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8463-9431
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Condensed Matter Physics of Energy Materials.ORCID iD: 0009-0008-6675-8603
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering, Electricity.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2785-356X
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2025 (English)In: Carbon, ISSN 0008-6223, E-ISSN 1873-3891, Vol. 237, article id 120108Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The high current-carrying capacity of graphene is essential for its use as an interconnect in electronic and spintronic circuits. At the same time, knowing the breakdown limits and mechanism under high fields can enable new device design strategies. In this work, we push the current carrying capacity of the scalable form of chemical vapor deposited (CVD) graphene employing a high-thermal conducting single crystalline diamond substrate. Our experiments on CVD graphene reveal extremely high current densities > 109 A/cm2 in graphene on the diamond with both ohmic (low-resistive) and tunneling tunnel (high-resistive) contacts. Measurements on ferromagnetic (TiOx/Co) and metallic (Ti/Au) contacts demonstrate current densities of ∼1.16×109 A/cm2 and ∼1.7×109 A/cm2, respectively. The tunnel (high-resistive) contacts exhibit a shunting of graphene under high currents via the bottom graphitized diamond, resulting in dielectric breakdown and via alternative conducting paths. Electrical measurements show a distinct threshold for conducting paths of graphitized diamond, in tune accordance with Middleton-Wingreen's theory. Our results of high current densities achieved in CVD graphene, with distinct dependence on ohmic and tunneling, contact resistance, and the observed breakdown mechanism, provide new insights for enabling high-current all carbon circuits.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2025. Vol. 237, article id 120108
Keywords [en]
CVD Graphene, diamond, high current carrying capacity, fractal pattern
National Category
Condensed Matter Physics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-550657DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2025.120108ISI: 001460969300001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85218100128OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-550657DiVA, id: diva2:1938241
Part of project
Principal Innovations for energy efficient spin-electronic logic, Swedish Energy AgencyGraphene-Diamond electronic power devices, Swedish Energy AgencyMakIng New ElectRonic deVices from Amorphous materials, Swedish Research CouncilElectronically Controlled Color Centers in Diamond for Quantum Applications, Swedish Research CouncilUltratunna¬†flexibla materials för ett batterilöst, hållbart och miljövänligt smart samhälle, Swedish Research Council FormasThinnest and highly resilient electrodes for safe flexible electronic systems, Swedish Research Council Formas
Funder
EU, European Research Council, 101002772Olle Engkvists stiftelse, 200–0602Swedish Energy Agency, 48698-1Swedish Energy Agency, 48591-1Swedish Research Council, 2021-05932Swedish Research Council, 22-04186-5Swedish Research Council Formas, 2019-01326Swedish Research Council Formas, 2023-01607Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, 2022.0079Available from: 2025-02-17 Created: 2025-02-17 Last updated: 2025-11-20Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Graphene on Diamond: Device Fabrication and Characterization for Electronics Applications
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Graphene on Diamond: Device Fabrication and Characterization for Electronics Applications
2025 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Alternative title[en]
Graphene on Diamond for Electronic Applications : Fabrication and Characterization
Abstract [en]

Diamond and graphene are two unique carbon allotropes whose exceptional properties, extensively investigated separately, make them attractive for next-generation electronics. Diamond combines ultra-high thermal conductivity, a wide bandgap, excellent mechanical robustness, and chemical inertness, enabling efficient heat dissipation and high breakdown fields. Graphene, by contrast, is a two-dimensional material with extremely high carrier mobility and outstanding electrical conductivity arising from its Dirac-cone band structure. These attributes have sparked strong interest in integrating graphene with diamond to realize high-power, high-frequency, and quantum-compatible devices.

However, reproducible fabrication of graphene-based devices and a comprehensive understanding of the physical and chemical properties of the graphene/diamond interface are still lacking. Furthermore, the physical and chemical properties of the graphene/diamond heterostructure remain incompletely explored.

This thesis investigates two routes for forming graphene/diamond interface —rapid direct growth on (100) single-crystalline diamond (SCD) using a Nickel (Ni) catalyst at high temperature (1073 K), and wet transfer of commercial CVD graphene— and evaluates their electrical and quantum-sensing performance. Direct growth yields predominantly multilayer graphene with only ~20% monolayer coverage due to high carbon solubility in Ni, resulting in a room-temperature Hall mobility of ~79 cm2V−1s−1, underscoring challenges such as Ni dewetting and non-uniform precipitation. In contrast, transferred graphene on electronic-grade SCD with low Nitrogen concentration(< 5 ppb) attains derived hole Hall mobilities up to 2750 cm2V−1s−1 and exhibits weak temperature dependence from 80 K to 300 K, indicating that charged-impurity scattering is strongly suppressed.

Surface-termination engineering, such as plasma O-termination and thermal H-termination, further improves low-temperature mobility, increasing from 1238 to 1640 cm2V−1s−1 and reveals distinct remote-interfacial-phonon energies, ~60 meV and ~114 meV, for O- and H-termination types respectively. Electrical robustness is demonstrated by current densities exceeding 1×109 A/cm2, surpassing limits on conventional substrates such as SiO2.

Photoelectric detection of magnetic resonance (PDMR) of NV ensembles operates reliably from 77 K to 395 K, yielding a zero-field-splitting temperature coefficient dD/dT ~73 kHz/K and magnetic-field sensitivities comparable to conventional ODMR, thereby providing an on-chip electrical readout pathway for quantum sensing.

The goal is to develop a fabrication process and investigate its properties. Ultimately, this study aims to explore the potential of graphene-on-diamond for electronic devices and to identify factors that can optimize their performance.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Uppsala: Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2025. p. 81
Series
Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology, ISSN 1651-6214 ; 2617
Keywords
Diamond, Graphene, Hall effect, NV centers, PDMR, surface termination.
National Category
Engineering and Technology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-571790 (URN)978-91-513-2679-5 (ISBN)
Public defence
2026-01-26, Heinz-Otto Kreis, Ångströmlaboratoriet, Regementsvägen 10, Uppsala, 13:15 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2025-12-19 Created: 2025-11-20 Last updated: 2025-12-19

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Belotcerkovtceva, DariaDatt, GopalNameirakpam, HenryAitkulova, AisuluuSuntornwipat, NattakarnMajdi, SamanIsberg, JanKamalakar, M. Venkata

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Belotcerkovtceva, DariaDatt, GopalNameirakpam, HenryAitkulova, AisuluuSuntornwipat, NattakarnMajdi, SamanIsberg, JanKamalakar, M. Venkata
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