Semiconductors
-
Higher-Conductivity Interconnects: Graphene’s exceptional electrical conductivity and strength are being leveraged to improve semiconductor interconnects (the tiny wiring on chips). A recent study in Nano Letters (2024) demonstrated a “graphene-all-around” metallization for nanometer-scale cobalt interconnects, achieving ~10.8% higher current carrying capacity and ~27% lower resistance compared to a standard metal interconnectpubs.acs.org. In a related effort, IBM researchers showed that capping copper interconnect lines with a graphene layer (grown at chip-compatible temperatures) can reduce line resistance by ~5% while greatly enhancing electromigration lifetime (i.e. reliability under high current stress)research.ibm.com. These improvements stem from graphene’s ability to act as a conductive diffusion barrier, preventing metal atom migration and reducing scattering, thereby enabling faster and more durable chip wiring.
-
Reduced Contact Resistance and Better Interfaces: Graphene is also being explored as an ultra-thin interfacial layer in semiconductor packaging and devices to lower contact resistance. A 2024 study in the journal Electronics found that inserting a CVD-grown graphene sheet between metal and dielectric layers significantly decreased the contact resistance at the interfacemdpi.com. The graphene layer improved adhesion and stability of the metal-dielectric bond while maintaining excellent electrical contact. By integrating graphene at interfaces (for example, in advanced chip bonding or 3D stacking), researchers achieved more robust connections with measurably lower resistance, which can translate to faster signal propagation and reduced heat generation in integrated circuitsmdpi.com.
-
Thermal Management Improvements: Another critical semiconductor application is using graphene to enhance thermal interface materials (TIMs) for cooling electronics. Vertically aligned graphene structures have extremely high through-plane thermal conductivity, helping dissipate heat from chips. For instance, a 2024 study in Nano Research developed a graphene foam-based TIM that reached an out-of-plane thermal conductivity of ~48 W/m·K and very low contact resistance. In practical tests, this graphene-enhanced TIM achieved about 185% higher cooling efficiency compared to a standard commercial thermal padlink.springer.com. Likewise, aligned graphene TIMs have outperformed conventional materials like copper: one report showed a ~66% reduction in temperature (better cooling) versus a copper pad of similar size. These results illustrate how graphene’s superior heat conduction can keep semiconductor devices cooler, improving performance and reliability.