Birmingham University, Paragraf funded for graphene research

The University of Birmingham, working with Paragraf Ltd. (Somersham, England) has received two UK government awards to research graphene sensors at high and low temperatures.

Graphene sensors could be used for the control of magnetic shielding and of qubit processors used in quantum computing.   

Paragraf has already demonstrated the capability of graphene electronics to operate at cryogenic temperatures although testing of graphene devices has proved challenging. It is also offering the sensors for use in battery management systems.

Systematic testing

Awards, of £1.4 million from Innovate UK and a £2 million UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship award will allow Birmingham researchers led by Matt Coak from the School of Physics and Astronomy – supported by the team at Paragraf and others – to further developments for commercialisation at scale.

“Cryogenic testing of real, practical, graphene devices has not been carried out before, and their properties at ultra-low temperatures, in the realm of truly quantum behaviour, are largely unknown,” said Coak, in a statement.

Coak added that university researchers would carry out the systematic testing of graphene magnetic field sensors at high and low temperatures for use in quantum computers and the charging and battery management circuitry of electric cars.

“We are additionally probing the fundamental quantum physics inside these single sheets of atoms and seeking to construct detailed theoretical models to describe their electronic behaviour,” he said.

Simon Thomas, co-founder and CEO of Paragraf, said: “Scaling up our production of real-world devices that are prepared to solve significant problems in quantum computing, battery management, agritech, molecular sensing and many other arenas is a major step towards realising that future in a sustainable way. And the fact that we are able to do this here in the UK means that the country stands to lead the advanced materials revolution.”