International Journal of Nanotechnology

and Application (IJNA)

ISSN(P): 2277-4777; ISSN(E): 2278-9391
Vol. 5, Issue 2, Apr 2015, 9-12
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

GRAPHENE IN COMMUNICATION SECTOR

GAURAV SAPRA
Assistant Professor, University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

ABSTRACT
Graphene, a 2D crystal of carbon atoms has made several advancements in the communication sector. Graphene
because of its novel electronic properties has been able to replace Si and other semiconducting materials that are used in
communication systems. Researchers have shown that use of graphene in conventional transistors has substantially
improves many operating parameters such as output power, efficiency and frequency stability in transistors. This paper
focuses on the performance of some graphene based devices such as mixers, frequency doublers and oscillators.
This review will help the researchers to further enhance their horizon in using these devices in communication sector.

KEYWORDS: Graphene, Ambipolar Mixers, Intermodulation, Frequency Doublers, Oscillators

INTRODUCTION
In this paper, we discuss the use of graphene in communication sector. In communication systems, there are three
basic elements that are responsible for signal transmission and reception. It includes a transmitter, receiver and a channel.
Depending upon the type of channel these systems are classified as wired or wireless systems. Before the advancements
were made in the graphene area, silicon and other semiconductor material were used in this circuit. Many challenges such
as distortion, efficiency, signal frequency stability were noticed. After exploring this wonder material and replacing it with
the conventional circuits these devices have overcome such limitations and provided a better future applications.
Graphene, a 2D crystal of carbon atoms is arranged in a honeycomb lattice [1]. Its a wonder material that has
been integrated in transistors to form graphene transistors. These circuits when employed in communication systems has
replaced conventional systems and provided good agreement with the parameters obtained in conventional systems.
The novel electronic properties of graphene such as ambipolar transport, highest carrier mobility are the basis for such
graphene based electronic devices [2]. Some of suchdevices reviewed in this paper are the graphene mixers, graphene
frequency doublers and graphene oscillators.
In this paper, the properties and the use of these circuits in communication systems are discussed. This paper aims
to provide the advantages and applications to the researchers so that the future potential applications can be explored.

GRAPHENE MIXERS AND FREQUENCY DOUBLERS

The development of graphene transistors has offered many opportunities in RF communications such as graphene
mixers and graphene frequency doublers. The unique property of graphene that is the ambipolar transport mechanism
offers these advance applications by using graphene. Ambipolar transport mechanism gives characteristics between ID and
VGS. It is a V-shape transfer curve, which is symmetrical about a minimum conditional point as shown in figure 1 [3].

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Gaurav Sapra

Figure 1: IDVGS Characteristics of the Fabricated GFETs [3]

These symmetrical characteristics show a quadratic expression for the output current (ID). When VGS is applied at
the gate of field effect transistor integrated with graphene, then corresponding ID flows at the output drain terminal, which
can be described as
(1)
Where VGS is the gate to source voltage, VGmin is the gate voltage at minimum conditional point and a0,a2,a4 are
constants. From this expression, we see that no odd order intermodulation distortion is present in the output. Conventional
mixers may contain odd order intermodulation distortion. Intermodulation distortion occurs when the nonlinearity of a
device with multiple input frequencies causes undesirable outputs at other frequencies. In communication systems,
it means that signal in one channel causes interference with adjacent channels. Interference increases as the channel
become busier. Hence the distortion increases and thus the efficiency decreases. As seen in the ambipolar characteristics
equation of graphene FET, its seen that no odd intermodulation distortion is observed at the output, which causes low
distortion and high output power in comparison to conventional mixers [3][4]. Similar to the graphene mixers, graphene
frequency doublers are constructed as shown in figure 2a and 2b respectively.

a)

b)

Figure 2: Circuit Diagram of a) Graphene Ambipolar Mixer [3] b) Graphene Frequency Doublers [5]
Graphene frequency doublers circuit biases gate voltage to minimum conduction point and superimposes a
sinusoidal input signal on gate. Electrons and holes conduct in alternative half cycles and produce signal at drain, whose
output frequency is twice than that of input frequency. These graphene frequency doublers achieve ahigh output power as

Impact Factor (JCC): 1.8003

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0

Graphene in Communication Sector

11

compared to conventional frequency doublers circuits due to ambipolar properties and high carrier mobility in graphene
[5][6].

GRAPHENE OSCILLATORS
Oscillators are one of the main building blocks of communication systems. In communication systems, one of
another electronic circuits apart from graphene mixers and graphene oscillator that replace Si with graphene is graphene
oscillator as shown in figure 3 [7]. Research shows that graphene oscillator exhibits frequency stability and a modulation
bandwidth sufficient for the modulation of carrier reference signal. This model is built on micrometer size whose
frequency can be electrostatically tuned by as much as 14 %. Thus graphene oscillators achieve efficient audio signal
transmission as compared to conventional oscillators [6].

Figure 3: Self-Sustained Graphene Mechanical Oscillators [7]

APPLICATION OF GRAPHENE BASED DEVICES IN COMMUNICATION

Graphene shows great potential in diverse areas of RF communication. They are as follows:

High frequency low noise amplifier [9]

Mixer [3][4]

Frequency doublers [5][6]

Nanomechanical resonators [10]

Electromechanical switches [11]

CONCLUSIONS
Graphene being a promising material offers a lot of application owing to its highest carrier mobility and ambipolar
transport property. These novel electronic properties have helped the researchers to overcome many limitations that are
faced in Si based devices. In communication system, graphene is used in transmission and reception of signal. Graphene
integrated in transistor can be used as mixers, frequency doublers andoscillators. All three devices have shown advantages
in obtaining outputs over the conventional systems. Many devices used in communication system can be integrated with
this wonder material. Apart from communicating device applications, other areas of applications based on use of such
devices are provided. This paper aims to provide the researchers to opt for more such type of area of post Si and achieve
potential applications in the field of electronics and communication.

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Gaurav Sapra

REFERENCES
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Geim, A. K. et al. The rise of graphene, Nature Mater, vol. 6, pp.183191,2007.

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Impact Factor (JCC): 1.8003

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 3.0