Review of the Low-Frequency 1/f Noise in Graphene Devices

Low-frequency noise with a spectral density that depends inversely on frequency (f) has been observed in a wide variety of systems including current fluctuations in resistors, intensity fluctuations in music and signals in human cognition. In electronics, the phenomenon, which is known as 1/f noise, flicker noise or excess noise, hampers the operation of numerous devices and circuits, and can be a significant impediment to development of practical applications from new materials. Graphene offers unique opportunities for studying 1/f noise because of its 2D structure and carrier concentration tuneable over a wide range. The creation of practical graphene-based devices will also depend on our ability to understand and control the low-frequency 1/f noise in this material system. Here, I review the characteristic features of 1/f noise in graphene and few-layer graphene, and examine the implications of such noise for the development of graphene-based electronics including high-frequency devices and sensors.