[THE INVESTOR] Despite its properties -- the high mobility of electrons, high strength and flexibility -- all of which are apt for use in electronic components, graphene has struggled to get a foothold in the semiconductor sector due to difficulties in current control.

The major stumbling block was due to the nonexistence of what is called a bandgap, which indicates the difference between the states when electrons are not free to move (valence band) and when they are free and carry current (conduction band). 


Lee Hu-jong, a physics professor at Pohang University of Science and Technology, and other researchers including those from the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan, overcame the hurdle by creating graphene with a higher level of electron mobility fitted with small two metallic patches, dubbed gates, which serve as a current controller.

“The research team could micro-control the current by installing the gates in graphene, and the latest development will be deployed in a various range of microelectronic components,” researcher Lee said.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)