Graphene and permalloy integration in functional fluidic and solid-state devices

Graphene is a promising carbon material that has received much attention last decade because of its unique properties such as mechanical strength and impermeable to gasses. The core of a pencil exists for the majority out of graphite. This graphite is composed out of stacked layers of carbon and recently was discovered that a single layers can be isolated. Such a monolayer is called graphene and exists out of a honeycomb of carbon atoms. Graphene can be used as an ultrathin membrane with nanopores thanks to its atomic thickness of only 0.37 nanometer in combination with its mechanical strength, which possibly could improve sensor- and filtration processes. In addition, graphene is interesting for electrochemical and energy storage applications by its large surface and conductivity. Information on the graphene doping level (charge carriers) can easily be obtained by graphene’s strong Raman signal (optical characterization method).\ud This work reported in this thesis was aimed at developing novel technologies for functional micro- and nanofluidic devices, as well as exploring the functionality of first examples of such devices. The technologies explored centered around graphene, and additionally the use of magnetic materials was explored. In all cases the use of cleanroom technology was indispensable for the developments