We discuss transport through double gated single and few layer graphene devices. This kind of device configuration has been used to investigate the modulation of the energy band structure through the application of an external perpendicular electric
field, a unique property of few layer graphene systems. Here we discuss technological details that are important for the fabrication of top gated structures, based on electron-gun evaporation of SiO$_2$. We perform a statistical study that demonstrates how --contrary to expectations-- the breakdown field of electron-gun evaporated thin SiO$_2$ films is comparable to that of thermally grown oxide layers. We find that a high breakdown field can be achieved in evaporated SiO$_2$ only if the oxide deposition is directly followed by the metallization of the top electrodes, without exposure to air of the SiO$_2$ layer.
We report a systematic study of the contact resistance present at the interface between a metal (Ti) and graphene layers of different, known thickness. By comparing devices fabricated on 11 graphene flakes we demonstrate that the contact resistance i
s quantitatively the same for single-, bi-, and tri-layer graphene ($sim800 pm 200 Omega mu m$), and is in all cases independent of gate voltage and temperature. We argue that the observed behavior is due to charge transfer from the metal, causing the Fermi level in the graphene region under the contacts to shift far away from the charge neutrality point.
