Graphene-based multi-modal sensors

• US 10,641,710 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Zaretski, Aliaksandr, Lipomi, Darren J., Savtchenko, Alex, Molokanova, Elena, Mercola, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Amara, Mohamed K
• Application Number:
  US15/832,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20180100802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/024 Deposition of sublayers, e.g. to promote adhesion of the coating C23C14/027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/04 Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/18 on other inorganic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/30 by electron bombardment
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/01 on temporary substrates, e.g. substrates subsequently removed by etching
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0227 by cleaning or etching
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/26 Deposition of carbon only
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/18 using properties of piezo-resistive materials, i.e. materials of which the ohmic resistance varies according to changes in magnitude or direction of force applied to the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/651 Cuvettes therefore
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/658 enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/028 Circuits therefor measuring impedance per se G01R27/02

Abstract

A method for fabricating a composite film structure, the method includes determining a desired morphology for a metallic layer of the composite film structure, selecting a first metal substrate based on the determining, transferring a graphene layer onto the first metal substrate, depositing the metallic layer on the graphene layer to achieve the desired morphology, and removing the first metal substrate from the graphene and the deposited metallic layer to form the composite film structure. A surface energy difference between the first metal substrate and the deposited metallic layer results in the desired morphology of the metallic layer.

Claims

1. A graphene based multimodal sensor, the sensor consisting of:

a graphene layer; and

a plurality of self-assembled metallic nanoislands in direct contact with the graphene layer, wherein each of the plurality of self-assembled metallic nanoislands are uniquely shaped and variably spaced apart from each other, and each of the plurality of self-assembled metallic nanoislands is independently selected from the group consisting of palladium, gold, or silver.

2. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 1, wherein the self-assembled metallic nanoislands are palladium.

3. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 1, wherein the graphene layer is configured to suppress crack propagation through the self-assembled metallic nanoislands.

4. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 1, wherein a gauge factor at 1% strain of the sensor is at least 1300.

5. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 1, wherein a piezoresistance of the sensor allows strain spanning four orders of magnitude to be detected.

6. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 5, wherein the strain spanning four orders of magnitude is from about 0.001% strain to about 10% strain.

7. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 1, wherein the self-assembled metallic nanoislands are characterized by controlled and uniform inter-nanoisland separation and a distance between edges of the nanoislands is on the order of about 2 Å

to a few nanometers.

8. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 1, wherein the self-assembled metallic nanoislands are gold.

9. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 1, wherein the self-assembled metallic nanoislands are silver.

10. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the self-assembled metallic nanoislands are formed in a spheroidal shape.

11. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 1, wherein the sensor is 20 nm or less in thickness.

12. A graphene based multimodal sensor, the sensor consisting of:

a graphene layer; and

a plurality of self-assembled metallic nanoislands in direct contact with the graphene layer, wherein each of the plurality of self-assembled metallic nanoislands are uniquely shaped and variably spaced apart from each other, and each of the plurality of self-assembled metallic nanoislands is independently selected from the group consisting of palladium, gold, or silver, and

optionally one or more of a layer of 1-butanethiolate, glass, or a polymer layer,

wherein the plurality of self-assembled metallic nanoislands are characterized by a distance between edges of the nanoislands on the order of about 2 Å

to a few nanometers.

13. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 12, wherein the self-assembled metallic nanoislands are palladium.

14. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 12, wherein the graphene layer is configured to suppress crack propagation through the self-assembled metallic nanoislands.

15. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 12, wherein a gauge factor at 1% strain of the sensor is at least 1300.

16. The graphene based multimodal sensor of claim 12, wherein a piezoresistance of the sensor allows strain spanning four orders of magnitude to be detected.