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Patterning 2D materials for devices by mild lithography
Marcel Weinhold1, Peter J Klar1
1Institute of Experimental Physics I and Center for Materials Research (ZfM), Justus Liebig University Giessen Heinrich-Buff-Ring 16 DE-35392 Giessen Germany peter.j.klar@physik.uni-giessen.de.
RSC Advances
|April 28, 2022
Summary
Conventional lithography damages 2D materials like graphene. A new mild lithography technique protects these materials by separating pattern definition from application, enabling defect-free device fabrication and ordered nanoparticle arrangements.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Device Physics
Background:
- Two-dimensional (2D) materials exhibit exceptional properties, driving innovation beyond Moore's Law.
- Integrating 2D materials into devices requires precise patterning via lithography.
- Conventional lithography methods often damage the delicate structure of 2D materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the damage induced by conventional electron beam lithography on graphene.
- To develop a novel, damage-free lithography technique for 2D materials.
- To demonstrate the application of this technique for fabricating advanced device architectures.
Main Methods:
- Exposure of graphene to varying electron doses to quantify defect formation.
- Thermal annealing to assess structural integrity recovery.
- Development and application of a mild lithography approach involving mask transfer.
Main Results:
- Electron beam lithography induces significant, dose-dependent defects in graphene.
- Thermal annealing does not fully restore the structural integrity of damaged graphene.
- The mild lithography method successfully patterned 2D materials without direct exposure, enabling ordered gold nanoparticle arrays.
Conclusions:
- Conventional lithography is detrimental to the integrity of 2D materials.
- Mild lithography offers a viable solution for damage-free patterning of 2D materials.
- This technique facilitates the integration of 2D materials in next-generation electronic devices and nanostructures.
