Extremely high thermal conductivity of graphene: Prospects for thermal management applications in silicon nanoelectronics

Graphene, a recently discovered form of carbon, revealed many unique properties, including extremely high electron mobility of ~15000 cm
²
/Vs at room temperature (RT). We have experimentally studied the thermal conductivity of graphene suspended over a trench in silicon (Si) wafer. It was found for a given set of samples that RT thermal conductivity of graphene is in the range ~ 3080 - 5150 W/mK. The giant thermal conductivity and demonstrated graphene - Si integration suggest that graphene can become superior material for thermal management of Si nanoelectronic circuits.