The GRIFONE project belongs to the European program "FET Flagship ERA-NET" (FLAG-ERA), which coordinates the integration of national/regional research into the work plans of the EU FET Flagship projects ("Graphene" and "Human Brain Project").

It aims at a breakthrough in the fabrication of graphene heterostructures with semiconducting materials by developing an innovative material concept for graphitic films of group III nitrides and group II oxides with particular reference to h-AlN and h-ZnO. This material concept will explore the approach of metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) of h-AlN and h-ZnO on large-area SiC-supported graphene templates, thereby allowing their rational and controllable deposition in order to ensure any industrial relevance. Our strategy is to take the research from the initial materials identification through to final proof-of-concept fabrication of van der Waals stacks of few-layer h-AlN and h-ZnO with graphene by carrying out investigation and and optimization of the deposition processes, extensive materials characterization studies, and theoretical modeling. This project defines a new research field of layered materials “beyond graphene”. We pioneer technologically relevant solutions for innovative, original and unexplored graphitic films of h-AlN (group III nitrides) and h-ZnO (group II oxides) with tunable properties and new functionality. A strong potential synergy between the GRIFONE project and Graphene Flagship Core project is foreseen in knowledge transfer and multiplication of the team merits. The strategy of the proposed project is a means to build synergy in layered materials and nano-device research.

The GRIFONE project is coordinated by Linköping University.

Coordinator for the whole project: Anelia Kakanakova

Beside Linköping University, Sweden, the consortium includes other 2 public research institutions (CNR-IMM, Italy; MFA, Hungary).

Principal investigator at CNR-IMM: Patrick Fiorenza