This proposal describes the third core project of the Graphene Flagship. It forms the fourth phase of the FET flagship and is characterized by a continued transition towards higher technology readiness levels, without jeopardizing our strong commitment to fundamental research. Compared to the second core project, this phase includes a substantial increase in the market-motivated technological spearhead projects, which account for about 30% of the overall budget. The broader fundamental and applied research themes are pursued by 15 work packages and supported by four work packages on innovation, industrialization, dissemination and management. The consortium that is involved in this project includes over 150 academic and industrial partners in over 20 European countries.

This proposal describes the third stage of the EC-funded part of the Graphene Flagship. It builds upon the results achieved in the ramp-up phase (2013 - 2016) and the first core project (2016 - 2018), and covers the period April 2018 - March 2020. The progress of the flagship follows the general plans set out in the Framework Partnership Agreement, and the second core project represents an additional step towards higher technology and manufacturing readiness levels. The Flagship is built upon the concept of value chains, one of which is along the axis of materials-components-systems; the ramp-up phase placed substantial resources on the development of materials production technologies, the first core project moved to emphasise components, and the second core project will move further towards integrating components in larger systems. This evolution is manifested, e.g., in the introduction of six market-motivated spearhead projects during the Core 2 project.

The 2D Experimental Pilot Line (2D-EPL) project will establish a European ecosystem for prototype production of Graphene and Related Materials (GRM) based electronics, photonics and sensors. The project will cover the whole value chain including tool manufacturers, chemical and material providers and pilot lines to offer prototyping services to companies, research centers and academics. The 2D-EPL targets to the adoption of GRM integration by commercial semiconductor foundries and integrated device manufacturers through technology transfer and licensing. The project is built on two pillars. In Pillar 1, the 2D-EPL will offer prototyping services for 150 and 200 mm wafers, based on the current state of the art graphene device manufacturing and integration techniques. This will ensure external users and customers are served by the 2D-EPL early in the project and guarantees the inclusion of their input in the development of the final processes by providing the specifications on required device layouts, materials and device performances. In Pillar 2, the consortium will develop a fully automated process flow on 200 and 300 mm wafers, including the growth and vacuum transfer of single crystalline graphene and TMDCs. The knowledge gained in Pillar 2 will be transferred to Pillar 1 to continuously improve the baseline process provided by the 2D-EPL. To ensure sustainability of the 2D-EPL service after the project duration, integration with EUROPRACTICE consortium will be prepared. It provides for the European actors a platform to develop smart integrated systems, from advanced prototype design to small volume production. In addition, for the efficiency of the industrial exploitation, an Industrial Advisory Board consisting mainly of leading European semiconductor manufacturers and foundries will closely track and advise the progress of the 2D-EPL. This approach will enable European players to take the lead in this emerging field of technology.

“ReSiSTant” targets the optimization of two industrial pilot lines by using micro- and nanostructured surfaces for drag reduction. The objectives are to implement new developed surfaces into 1) Aircraft Turbofan Engines and 2) Industrial Compressors. Positive effects by usage of such surface could give benefits in terms of efficiency, CO2 reduction and noise emission and further on a positive economical and ecological impact. To enable the usage of such micro- and nanostructures, special development on the surface material for better durability in rough conditions has do be done. It is planned to do nano-functionalization, like implementing nanostructures and nanoparticles for better resistance in rough conditions. Riblets basically consist of tiny streamwise grooved surfaces which reduce the drag in the turbulent boundary layer of up to 8%. Surface modifications such as riblets are the most promising technology that could be applied without additional external energy or additional amount of air. An additional key outcome of the proposed project is a detailed database of experimental data for cases with and without riblets, which can be leveraged to validate tools for forced response and aero-acoustic predictions of an aircraft engine and its low-pressure turbine components. At industrial gas compressors the riblet structures reduce the aerodynamic shear stress losses. An efficiency increase of 1% of a single stage system shall be achieved. During the project a riblet coating that includes a corrosion protection should be developed. Beside the resistant hardness of the coating also a self-cleaning mechanism by usage of nanostructures should be implemented. The new surface manufacturing processes shall be completed in less than 5 hours and a higher process reliability and predictability of the performance results is sought. As a whole, the success of the project will therefore contribute to significantly increasing the level of maturity for these pilot lines to TRL7