Researchers from japan's Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) institute developed a new highly reliable interconnect that features low-resistivity, using multi-layer graphene. They say that this interconnect achieved a resistivity similar to copper (this was achieved by intercalating iron-chloride molecules between the graphene layers. This interconnect may be used to interconnect large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs) to reduce energy consumption.
The researchers used CVD using a cobalt epitaxial film as a catalyst to create the multi-layer graphene. They say that their multi-layer graphene has a structure and electrical properties similar to those of graphene obtained from crystalline graphite, but is i more tolerant than copper to high current densities.
The researchers are now working on a new design that will have lower resistivity than copper. They will also attempt to develop 3D wiring using multi-layer graphene and carbon nanotubes for application to LSIs.