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Research

Graphene MEMS, sensors and devices

Ultra-thin graphene–polymer membranes for pressure sensors and other micro- and nano-electromechanical devices, their mechanics and modelling, and fabrication routes compatible with standard MEMS processes.

Left: a schematic of a graphene–parylene membrane over an array of circular cavities on a silicon chip, and an atomic force microscope image of one inflated membrane blister. Right: change in capacitance with applied pressure up to 300 kilopascals, measured points following the simulated curve.
A graphene–polymer heterostructure membrane capacitive pressure sensor and an AFM image of an inflated membrane (left); measured capacitance change against pressure follows the Föppl–von Kármán model (right). Reproduced from K. Smith, A. Retallick, D. Melendrez, A. Vijayaraghavan and M. Heil, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (2023), Fig. 2(a, c) and Fig. 5(b), doi:10.1021/acsami.2c21096, under CC BY 4.0; panels rearranged.

A graphene layer supported by a few tens of nanometres of polymer makes a membrane thin enough to deflect under small pressures yet robust enough to manufacture. The group builds capacitive pressure sensors from these graphene–polymer heterostructure membranes and, with applied mathematicians, models them with the Föppl–von Kármán equations, which capture bending and stretching together; simulated and measured membrane shapes and sensor responses agree closely.

Related work covers pristine graphene ultramicroelectrodes, nanometre-scale electron-beam patterning of suspended graphene–boron nitride membranes, and integrating graphene membranes into multi-user MEMS fabrication. This line of research led to the spin-out company Atomic Mechanics.

This theme contributes to the goals above. More on the goals at the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals site. The content of this publication has not been approved by the United Nations and does not reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States.

Publications 8

  8. Ernie W. Hill, Aravind Vijayaragahvan, Kostya Novoselov

    Graphene Sensors

    IEEE Sensors Journal 11(12), 3161-3170 2011 432 citations