title: Probing from both sides: reshaping the graphene landscape via face-to-face dual-probe microscopy.
abstract: In two-dimensional samples, all atoms are at the surface and thereby exposed for probing and manipulation by physical or chemical means from both sides. Here, we show that we can access the same point on both surfaces of a few-layer graphene membrane simultaneously, using a dual-probe scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) setup. At the closest point, the two probes are separated only by the thickness of the graphene membrane. This allows us for the first time to directly measure the deformations induced by one STM probe on a free-standing membrane with an independent second probe. We reveal different regimes of stability of few-layer graphene and show how the STM probes can be used as tools to shape the membrane in a controlled manner. Our work opens new avenues for the study of mechanical and electronic properties of two-dimensional materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Franz R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Eder
authors.forename: Jani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kotakoski
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Holzweber
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mangler
authors.forename: Viera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Skakalova
authors.forename: Jannik C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Meyer
references.citation: Nanoscale Res Lett. 2009 Oct 17;5(1):169-173
references.pmid: 20672028
references.citation: Phys Rev Lett. 2009 Jul 24;103(4):046801
references.pmid: 19659379
references.citation: Nat Mater. 2010 Apr;9(4):315-9
references.pmid: 20228819
references.citation: Science. 2010 Jul 30;329(5991):544-7
references.pmid: 20671183
references.citation: Science. 2012 Jun 22;336(6088):1557-61
references.pmid: 22723417
references.citation: Nat Mater. 2007 Nov;6(11):858-61
references.pmid: 17891144
references.citation: Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2008;47(43):8178-91
references.pmid: 18814153
references.citation: Nat Mater. 2007 Mar;6(3):183-91
references.pmid: 17330084
references.citation: Phys Rev Lett. 1986 Jul 28;57(4):444-447
references.pmid: 10034061
references.citation: Adv Mater. 2012 Apr 3;24(13):1675-92
references.pmid: 22378596
references.citation: Science. 2008 Jul 18;321(5887):385-8
references.pmid: 18635798
references.citation: Nano Lett. 2007 Sep;7(9):2758-63
references.pmid: 17655269
references.citation: Nanoscale. 2012 May 21;4(10):3065-8
references.pmid: 22495597
references.citation: Nano Lett. 2010 Feb 10;10(2):461-5
references.pmid: 20058873
references.citation: Nano Lett. 2012 Jul 11;12(7):3526-31
references.pmid: 22708530
references.citation: Science. 1993 Oct 8;262(5131):218-20
references.pmid: 17841867
references.citation: Nano Lett. 2009 Dec;9(12):4343-7
references.pmid: 19883050
references.citation: Phys Rev Lett. 2009 Feb 20;102(7):076102
references.pmid: 19257693
references.citation: Nature. 2007 Mar 1;446(7131):60-3
references.pmid: 17330039
references.citation: Phys Rev Lett. 1986 Mar 3;56(9):930-933
references.pmid: 10033323