SCIENCE

Graphene Image Sensors Pave the Way for Improved Cameras

Photo: Calle Rosenqvist

Researchers have now succeeded in creating a semiconductor in graphene, which opens up possibilities for faster, better, and more light-sensitive sensors.

Calle Rosenqvist Calle Rosenqvist ^{CALLE@KAMERABILD.SE}

Published 1 February 2024 - 16:37

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Developing materials that function as semiconductors but do not consist of today's common processor and sensor materials – silicon – has been a subject of research for a long time. For instance, Kamera & Bild wrote in 2017 about a new sensor design based on graphene – since then, it has been quiet.

In 2022, however, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology discovered that graphene's high conductivity can be maintained even with simpler manufacturing methods, which opened up the possibilities for flexible displays. Moving away from silicon is also desirable as we are soon reaching the limit of how small processors can be manufactured in the material.

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After ten years of attempts, researchers have now succeeded in creating graphene on a silicon carbide substrate, something they consider to be "the perfect structure", which in turn has led to a fully functioning transistor – that is also scalable – and thus can be used in the semiconductor industry for production. This, in turn, means both better image sensors and faster processors, as more semiconductors can fit into the same space than with today's process.

Graphene sensors can be used in cameras to enhance images created from light that humans cannot see, for example, when driving in fog, photographing at dusk, or with night vision devices.