title: Impermeable atomic membranes from graphene sheets.
abstract: We demonstrate that a monolayer graphene membrane is impermeable to standard gases including helium. By applying a pressure difference across the membrane, we measure both the elastic constants and the mass of a single layer of graphene. This pressurized graphene membrane is the world's thinnest balloon and provides a unique separation barrier between 2 distinct regions that is only one atom thick.
authors.affiliation: Cornell Center for Materials Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
authors.forename: J Scott
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bunch
authors.forename: Scott S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Verbridge
authors.forename: Jonathan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Alden
authors.forename: Arend M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: van der Zande
authors.forename: Jeevak M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Parpia
authors.forename: Harold G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Craighead
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: McEuen
mesh_terms: D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force
chemical_list: D006108:Graphite