title: Catalytic etching of monolayer graphene at low temperature via carbon oxidation.
abstract: In this work, an easy method to etch monolayer graphene is shown by catalytic oxidation in the presence of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). The catalytic etching of monolayer graphene, which was transferred to the channel of field-effect transistors (FETs), was performed at low temperature by heating the FETs several times under an inert gas atmosphere (ZnO + C → Zn + CO or CO2). As the etching process proceeded, diverse etched structures in the shape of nano-channels and pits were observed under microscopic observation. To confirm the evolution of etching, current-voltage characteristics of monolayer graphene were measured after every step of etching by catalytic oxidation. As a result, the conductance of monolayer graphene decreased with the development of etched structures. This decrease in conductance was analyzed by percolation theory in a honeycomb structure. Finally, well-patterned graphene was obtained by oxidizing graphene under air in the presence of NPs, where Al was deposited on graphene as a mask for designed patterns. This method can substitute graphene etching via carbon hydrogenation using H2 at high temperature.
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical Engineering, Korea University, Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, 136-713 Seoul, Korea. nanotube@korea.ac.kr gtkim@korea.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jun Eon
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Jae-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jun Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Ho-Kyun
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Junhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Dongmok
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Whang
authors.forename: Do-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Gyu Tae
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Kim