Narrator: JUST ONE ATOM THICK
AND TRANSPARENT,
GRAPHENE CAN SNIFF OUT CHEMICALS
IN THE AIR
AND DISEASE ENZYMES IN BLOOD.
A TECHNICIAN LOADS A CAPSULE
CONTAINING A COPPER FOIL SHEET
INTO A FURNACE.
HE SCREWS A CAP
ON THE END OF THE CAPSULE
AND SHUTS THE FURNACE.
HE ACTIVATES A SYSTEM
THAT USES ARGON GAS
TO DRIVE OUT OXYGEN.
A REACTION OCCURS THAT DEPOSITS
GRAPHENE ONTO THE FOIL.
GRAPHENE CAN'T BE SEEN
WITH THE NAKED EYE.
ANOTHER TECHNICIAN
DEPOSITS LIQUID PLASTIC
ONTO THE TRANSPARENT GRAPHENE
ON THE COPPER FOIL.
HE LOCKS THE FOIL IN A MACHINE
CALLED A SPIN COATER.
IT SPINS AT 3,000 R.P.M.
THIS SPREADS THE PLASTIC
EVENLY ACROSS THE GRAPHENE FILM
ON THE FOIL.
IT ALSO ACCELERATES
THE PLASTIC'S CURING PROCESS.
HE THEN SEPARATES
THE PLASTIC-COATED GRAPHENE
FROM THE COPPER FOIL.
USING THE TWEEZERS,
HE PICKS UP A SMALL PIECE
OF THE PLASTIC, GRAPHENE,
AND COPPER SANDWICH
AND PLUNGES IT IN THE WATER.
THE TWEEZERS APPLY AN ELECTRICAL
CHARGE THROUGH THE COPPER,
CAUSING BUBBLES
TO FORM IN THE WATER.
THESE BUBBLES LIFT THE GRAPHENE
AND PLASTIC FILM
AWAY FROM THE COPPER.
THE GRAPHENE NOW CLINGS
ONLY TO THE PLASTIC BACKING.
HE SCOOPS THE PLASTIC-BACKED
GRAPHENE SQUARE
OUT OF THE WATER USING
A LARGE PIECE OF PLASTIC.
TO REMOVE CONTAMINANTS,
HE IMMERSES THE SQUARE
IN A SERIES OF SOLUTIONS.
IN THE LAST SOLUTION,
HE SLIDES THE SQUARE
OFF THE CARRIER.
AND THE SQUARE FLOATS FREELY.
HE PICKS UP THE SILICON CHIP
WITH TWEEZERS
AND USES IT TO RETRIEVE
THE FLOATING GRAPHENE
AND PLASTIC SQUARE.
HE SUSPENDS THEM
ABOVE GOLD PELLETS
IN A MACHINE KNOWN AS
THE EVAPORATOR.
A VACUUM PULLS THE GOLD
TOWARD THE STENCILS
AS IT EVAPORATES.
THE GOLD AND EXPOSED GRAPHENE
ADHERE TO ONE ANOTHER
AS THEY COOL AND SOLIDIFY.
HE TRANSFERS THE CHIP
TO A PLASMA ETCHER.
HE ACTIVATES THE CHIP,
AND PLASMA GAS
FLOODS THE CHAMBER.
THE GAS STRIPS OFF ANY GRAPHENE
THAT'S NOT PROTECTED BY GOLD.
ONLY THE GOLD CONTACTS
AND GOLD-COVERED GRAPHENE
RUNNERS REMAIN ON THE CHIP.
SOLVENT DISSOLVES
THE PLASTIC BACKING
ON THE GRAPHENE RUNNERS,
TAKING THE PROTECTIVE GOLD
WITH IT, LEAVING ONLY GRAPHENE.
