The speed of silicon-based transistors has reached an impasse in the recent decade, primarily due to scaling techniques and the short-channel effect. Conversely, graphene (a revolutionary new material possessing an atomic thickness) has been shown to exhibit a promising value for electrical conductivity. Graphene would thus appear to alleviate some of the drawbacks associated with silicon-based transistors. It is for this reason why such a material is considered one of the most prominent candidates to replace silicon within nano-scale transistors. The major crux here, is that graphene is intrinsically gapless, and yet, transistors require a band-gap pertaining to a well-defined ON/OFF logical state. Therefore, exactly as to how one would create this band-gap in graphene allotropes is an intensive area of growing research. Existing methods include nano-ribbons, bilayer and multi-layer structures, carbon nanotubes, as well as the usage of the graphene substrates.Graphene transistors can generally be classified according to two working principles. The first is that a single graphene layer, nanoribbon or carbon nanotube can act as a transistor channel, with current being transported along the horizontal axis. The second mechanism is regarded as tunneling, whether this be band-to-band on a single graphene layer, or vertically between adjacent graphene layers. The high-frequency graphene amplifier is another talking point in recent research, since it does not require a clear ON/OFF state, as with logical electronics. This paper reviews both the physical properties and manufacturing methodologies of graphene, as well as graphene-based electronic devices, transistors, and high-frequency amplifiers from past to present studies. Finally, we provide possible perspectives with regards to future developments.Not long before graphene was first manufactured by the Manchester research group in 2004 [1][2][3][4], theorists still believed that such two-dimensional structures were unstable due to thermal fluctuations [4,5], famously referred to as the Landau-Peierls arguments (cf. also ). Recently, the paradox behind graphene's existence has been resolved [5,6], and that it can be stabilised by transverse lattice distortions [8]. Stable forms of various other two-dimensional crystals such as graphene, silicene and germanene have all been attained [6,9]. Graphene was the first example which is able to exist in a single atomic layer with honeycomb hierarchy [1] (cf. Figure 1). It is composed of a single layer of carbon atoms, and can be extracted from graphite with full preservation of the hexagonal honeycomb structure (also referred to as chicken wire for quantum information processing [10]). This material has astonishing properties: it is stronger than diamond, more conductive than copper and more flexible than rubber. Graphene has primarily attracted the attention of scientific and engineering communities, due to its outstanding electrical, thermal and optical properties [11][12][13][14], displaying having a strong potential for m...

Scientists are always yearning for new and exciting ways to unlock graphene's true potential. However, recent reports suggest this two-dimensional material may harbor some unique properties, making it a viable candidate for use in optoelectronic and semiconducting devices. Whereas on one hand, graphene is highly transparent due to its atomic thickness, the material does exhibit a strong interaction with photons. This has clear advantages over existing materials used in photonic devices such as Indium-based compounds. Moreover, the material can be used to 'trap' light and alter the incident wavelength, forming the basis of the plasmonic devices. We also highlight upon graphene's nonlinear optical response to an applied electric field, and the phenomenon of saturable absorption. Within the context of logical devices, graphene has no discernible band-gap. Therefore, generating one will be of utmost importance. Amongst many others, some existing methods to open this band-gap include chemical doping, deformation of the honeycomb structure, or the use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). We shall also discuss various designs of transistors, including those which incorporate CNTs, and others which exploit the idea of quantum tunneling. A key advantage of the CNT transistor is that ballistic transport occurs throughout the CNT channel, with short channel effects being minimized. We shall also discuss recent developments of the graphene tunneling transistor, with emphasis being placed upon its operational mechanism. Finally, we provide perspective for incorporating graphene within high frequency devices, which do not require a pre-defined band-gap.

Here we present a short introduction into physics of Dirac materials. In particular we review main physical properties of various two-dimensional crystals such as graphene, silicene, germanene and others. We comment on the origin of their buckled two-dimensional shape, and address the issues created by Mermin-Wagner theorem prohibiting the existence of strictly two-dimensional, flat crystals. Then we describe main ideas which were leading to the discovery of two and three-dimensional topological insulators and Weyl fermions. We describe some of their outstanding electronic properties which have been originating due to the existence of the Dirac gapless spectrum. We also compare simplest devices made of Dirac materials. Analogies and differences between Dirac materials and optics are also discussed.

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In this article, we investigate the mathematical relationship between a (3+1) dimensional gravity model inside Anti-de Sitter space AdS 4 , and a (2+1) dimensional superconducting system on the asymptotically flat boundary of AdS 4 (in the absence of gravity). We consider a simple case of the Type II superconducting model (in terms of Ginzburg-Landau theory) with an external perpendicular magnetic field H. An interaction potential V (r, ψ) = α(T )|ψ| 2 /r 2 + χ|ψ| 2 /L 2 + β|ψ| 4 /(2r k ) is introduced within the Lagrangian system. This provides more flexibility within the model, when the superconducting system is close to the transition temperature T c . Overall, our result demonstrates that the Ginzburg-Landau differential equations can be directly deduced from Einstein's theory of general relativity.