title: A graphite nanoeraser.
abstract: We present here a method for cleaning intermediate-size (up to 50 nm) contamination from highly oriented pyrolytic graphite and graphene. Electron-beam-induced deposition of carbonaceous material on graphene and graphite surfaces inside a scanning electron microscope, which is difficult to remove by conventional techniques, can be removed by direct mechanical wiping using a graphite nanoeraser, thus drastically reducing the amount of contamination. We discuss potential applications of this cleaning procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ze
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bøggild
authors.forename: Jia-rui
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grey
authors.forename: Yi-lun
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Quan-shui
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Zheng