Public Funding for Paragraf Limited

Paragraf is the first company in the world to produce graphene-based electronic devices using standard semiconductor processes. We have grown rapidly since spinning out from Cambridge University in 2017, developing and selling our first graphene based Hall-effect sensor (GHS) devices in 2019\. Since then, our sample products that have generated a great deal of interest, particularly in the automotive market for positional and current sensing at a sensitivity and accuracy not possible with other technologies. The feedback from customers has been extremely positive and we expect demand for products to increase rapidly. In order to meet this demand we need to rapidly scale-up our GHS device manufacture. We have recently opened a second manufacturing site in the UK to support this scale up. However a key requirement to increase throughput is to move from our current production wafer size of 2" to 6". This will enable us to meet the forecast demand based on customer interest not only on our current GHS product but also further products in biosensing and solid state electronics currently at the R&D stage. The aim of this project therefore is to run a feasibility trial on production at 6" for each stage of the process: graphene growth, device fabrication and device assembly and test. For graphene growth this can be done using the existing MOCVD tools at Paragraf. Graphene device fabrication at 6" scale using standard semiconductor processing has never been done before and would represent a milestone in Paragraf's growth as a company and a significant achievement for UK semiconductor manufacturing.

This project brings together a UK SME, Paragraf Ltd., the University of Manchester NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, the University of Liverpool Institute of Infection and the University of Newcastle NHS trust to develop and test novel in-vitro diagnostic electronic devices made from graphene. Paragraf has developed a unique and groundbreaking production method for graphene which, for the first time, allows graphene to be synthesised cos-effectively in large areas, suitable for electronic devices. Research on graphene biosensors has repeatedly demonstrated highly sensitive and rapid detection of antigens, antibodies, enzymes and DNA without amplification. It offers the unique ability to combine the technically segregated immunological and molecular IVD test markets, valued at \>$40 billion, and address them with a single, rapid, accurate and compact technology. This creates a substantial commercial opportunity. By way of showing graphene's potential, researchers have demonstrated SARS-CoV-2 detection in 30 seconds, comparable to resolution of the best commercial instrument that takes 45 minutes. Despite substantive graphene biosensor research, no graphene diagnostic products are commercially available. This is largely due to the lack of reproducible, cost-effective graphene manufacturing process. Paragraf is the only company to have developed scalable methods to manufacture high-quality graphene. The next step is to demonstrate the clinical validity of the technology in healthcare settings and to optimise the device designs based on interview feedback from clinicians and patients, and care pathway analysis.

To develop the next generation graphene-OLED display product for smart screens. To investigate the post-processing of graphene, the effect on key graphene properties and the exploitation of post-deposition processing to integrate graphene electrodes into smart displays.

The aim of Project High-T Hall is to demonstrate an integrated UK supply chain solution for advanced Hall sensing within PEMD. This would bring together a UK SME (Paragraf Ltd.) as the Hall sensor die producer, TT Electronics (Semelab and AeroStanew) to provide bespoke packaging solutions and Rolls Royce as the end user/customer of the devices. Technical engineering will be provided additionally by the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult (CSAC) Power Electronics and Advance Packaging teams. Project High-T Hall focus' on Hall sensors operating in harsh environments of elevated temperature, to measure switching frequencies of and ultimately control electric motors and generators. In essence, High-T Hall will bring together the necessary Hall sensing supply chain elements, integrated through UK packaging capability, and then evaluate performance at temperature in a state-of-the art SiC-based Aerospace application. High-T Hall would be disseminated through the CSAC professional networks, at industry events and press. The output of the project will be an enabled supply chain that would be geared up to support harsh environment PEMD systems. Furthermore, graphene has been much touted as a material which is capable of solving many issues in different electronic devices

This is a disruptive project to research and develop a manufacturing process for graphene electronic devices. Graphene, a single atomic layer of carbon, was discovered in 2004 at the University of Manchester, and its discoverers were subsequently awarded the Nobel Prize in 2010. This novel material has amazing properties: optically transparent, more electrically conductive than copper and stronger than stainless steel, to name but a few. This has resulted in enormous speculation that it could replace existing materials such as silicon in electronic devices. To date, various Tier 1 companies such as Intel, IBM, Samsung, etc. have invested over $5bn in bringing electronic devices made from graphene to market. The main reason for this is silicon electronics are reaching their theoretical limits: Moore's Law is ending. Therefore, the nearly $500bn electronics market needs a new material technology. However, attempts to bring graphene electronic devices to market have largely failed up to now. This is because it is very difficult to obtain graphene in large enough areas, and which can be processed into full devices by existing industry infrastructure. Paragraf, a recent spin-out company from Prof. Sir Colin Humphreys' group at the University of Cambridge, has developed a new way to synthesise large-area graphene (up to 8-inch diameter so far) using a modified deposition method. We call this "next-generation graphene". In the normal deposition process the graphene is grown on copper. The copper support then has to be removed and the graphene transferred to the desired substrate. However, it is not possible to remove all copper, and this is an insurmountable problem for the semiconductor industry. Because of these problems graphene has not been used in electronic devices. Our next-generation graphene can be grown directly on substrates such as silicon and it is free from metallic contamination. Developing devices and products made from our graphene, and processed and packaged in identical ways to existing electronic devices, will be transformational. We will make Graphene compatible and useful for manufacturing electronic devices for the first time in the world.

"Discovered by scientists at the University of Manchester in 2004, Graphene is called a wonder material, because it has such phenomenal properties. It is more electrically conductive than copper, stronger than stainless steel, it is flexible and it is almost fully transparent. No other material has such a combination of outstanding properties. Its use in electronics has been postulated since its discovery, and indeed outstanding electronic devices made from graphene have been proven on small scales in research laboratories. However, the lack of a production technique for graphene suitable for the electronics industry has hampered its commercial viability in this area. Paragraf, a spin-out from Prof. Sir Colin Humphreys' research group at the Department of Materials Science in the University of Cambridge has developed a production technique for graphene, making it suitable for electronic and sensor devices. The company secured £2.9m in a seed phase round, and has a small production facility just north of Cambridge. Paragraf's first commercial device is a Hall sensor made from graphene. Hall sensors are magnetic sensors, and up until now have been made from materials like silicon. They are used in many applications, from measuring the speed of rotating shafts (a specific example would thus be measuring the speed of a car) to positional sensors in laptop screens. However, they have struggled to find room in harsh conditions, such as high levels of radiation and high temperatures. Due to its combination of outstanding properties, graphene Hall sensors can work in these environments, opening up new applications such as electronics on robotics for nuclear decommissioning, or more robust electronics for space. This project will bring Paragraf and the National Physical Laboratory together to test Paragraf's Hall sensors in various harsh conditions. The outstanding test facilities at the NPL are unique in the world in their ability to do this. Results from the tests will allow Paragraf to target high-value applications, to bring graphene electronics to market and to consumer use."

Development and testing of high-reliability and high-efficiency motors for aerospace applications is becoming a key dependency for the introduction of the More/All Electric Aircraft. The project will develop real-time imaging of motor flux density characteristics, addressing an industry requirement for a scanner that can be modified to arbitrary stator/armature diameters. Research will focus on flux measurement control, scan rate of flux sensors and advanced post-processing techniques. The principal project output will be a marketable electro-magnetic flux scanner (EMFIS) which is unique in offering a linear response across a broad field range (pT-T) due to the use of an innovative graphene sensor. An ability to interrogate the 2D/3D field characteristics of electric motors and other electromagnetic (EM) devices would offer significant tangible benefits throughout the design, manufacturing and qualifying process. There are currently no solutions for mapping the magnetic field produced by an energised stator or armature in 2D or 3D. Imaging the field configuration directly would lead to an inherently marketable scanner and push the aerospace sector towards lighter, more reliable and higher efficiency motors. EMFIS development would generate manifold benefits, visualisation of the flux characteristics of an EM device for the first time (currently only possible with FEA simulations) would offer unprecedented insight into magnetic saturation, facilitating substantially improved motor efficiencies and power densities through enhanced design and allowing un-rivalled reverse-engineering and fault-finding services to be developed. The technology would also lead to real-time health monitoring services through the use of embedded sensors, due to the robust nature of graphene and the small device footprint sensors could be integrated into aerospace motors, adding significant value to existing motor products.

This is a disruptive project to replace Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) by next-generation graphene in a range of electronic and light emitting devices. ITO is the most common transparent conductive material used today because of its high electrical conductivity, high optical transparency and ease of deposition. Because of this remarkable combination of properties, ITO is currently used in a large number of applications, e. g. solar cells, displays, LEDs, OLEDs, touch panels, smart watches, etc. More than 90% of the display market uses ITO. However, ITO is expensive and costs 1700 Euro/kg. In addition, Indium is on the EU Critical Materials List, and is stated to have an "irreplaceable role in industry and society." There is therefore an urgent need to replace ITO. The global market for ITO is $2.6 billion per year and rising. Replacing ITO is therefore a huge market opportunity. Paragraf, a recent spin-out company from Prof. Humphreys' group, has developed a new way to grow large-area graphene (up to 8-inch diameter so far) using a modified CVD method. We call this "next-generation graphene". In the normal CVD process the graphene is grown on copper. The copper-contaminated graphene then has to be removed from the copper and transferred onto the desired substrate. Because of these problems it has not been used as an ITO replacement. Our next-generation graphene can be grown directly on substrates such as silicon and it is free from metallic contamination. Replacing ITO by our graphene will be transformational. The following UK companies are keen to support this project by donating materials upon which Paragraf will deposit graphene. IQE will supply test structures of GaAs electronic devices. Plessey will supply GaN/InGaN LEDs. Verditek will supply silicon solar cells. In addition, QMUL will grow OLEDs on Paragraf graphene. Forge Europa will perform accelerated reliability tests on our devices, donating their time. We will use cutting-edge science to optimise Paragraf graphene for each application. Optimising graphene involves varying the number of layers, the doping, the growth temperature, etc. This will be challenging. Not only will we measure the conductivity and transparency of our next-generation graphene, we will also study the nature of the chemical bonding of our graphene grown directly on silicon, sapphire, etc., which is currently unknown. So this project goes from basic science through to real applications. We aim to make Graphene useful for manufacturing electronic devices for the first time in the world.

"This project aims to demonstrate a completely new energy harvesting technology based on the wonder material graphene, exploiting the as yet unlocked electronic energy stored within salt in seawater. While many energy harvesting solutions exist already (solar, thermoelectric, piezoelectric, etc.), none are capable of generating power directly from charged fluids such as seawater, and very few are capable of operating and thriving in the harsh conditions typically found at sea. Our proprietary technology is based on functionalised graphene which capitalises on the tremendous mechanical strength inherent to graphene (and thus its ability to withstand harsh environments) to extract ionic charge from the sea. Devices such as those which will be developed here can be exploited in many applications, such as being attached to any sea vessel (buoys, boats, oil platforms, etc.) to charge battery packs or directly energise low power electronic devices. We are in a strong position to exploit major commercial outcomes of this feasibility study, due to links already made within Cambridge and in the broader UK community.Paragraf's 9 month £99,918 feasibility study will develop a new way of generating electricity from seawater by developing and exploiting the principal properties of graphene. It responds to the challenge to explore the potential of bringing a completely transformative marine renewable technology to market. No other companies or research groups are attempting to produce functionalized graphene with an electrical charge. Paragraf will significantly improve on current state of the art by using its proprietary technique to functionalize graphene with extra carriers without impacting on its electrical conductivity, to enable accelerated desorption and absorption of electrons from the ionic fluid, thus improving on previous experiments and offering the potential of real-world applications for this technology. By using its proprietary functionalised graphene, Paragraf will be able to generate much-increased voltages from ordinary saltwater, unlike previous experiments, enabling the company to do something that was impossible before and offering the potential of real world applications for this technology. Project outputs will be applicable in multiple global export markets for marine Internet of Things, and also have potential in other markets that ionic fluids are present, for example chemical manufacturing processes or effluent disposal. The project will also improve business growth for the marine renewables supply chain, as well as for UK nanotechnology materials and device production manufacturers."