Selective nano-patterning of graphene using a heated atomic force microscope tip.
In this study, we introduce a selective thermochemical nano-patterning method of graphene on insulating substrates. A tiny heater formed at the end of an atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever is optimized by a finite element method. The cantilever device is fabricated using conventional micromachining processes. After preliminary tests of the cantilever device, nano-patterning experiments are conducted with various conducting and insulating samples. The results indicate that faster scanning speed and higher contact force are desirable to reduce the sizes of nano-patterns. With the experimental condition of 1 μm/s and 24 mW, the heated AFM tip generates a graphene oxide layer of 3.6 nm height and 363 nm width, on a 300 nm thick SiO2 layer, with a tip contact force of 100 nN.
MEMS and Nanotechnology Laboratory, School of Mechanical Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea.
Young-Soo
YS
Choi
MEMS and Nanotechnology Laboratory, School of Mechanical Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea.
Xuan
X
Wu
MEMS and Nanotechnology Laboratory, School of Mechanical Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea.
Dong-Weon
DW
Lee