Fast Patterned Graphene Ribbons Via Soft–lithography

Patterned graphene with sub–microscale resolution is urgently required in its band–engineering and electronics applications. Several methods, such as conventional lithography, unzipping carbon nanotubes, chemical synthesis, assembling, shadow mask etching, have been proposed and demonstrated. Despite these advantages, an increasing demand for rapid, massively, high–throughput, and low–cost fabrication strategies for graphene ribbons continues to motivate research. Herein, we present an innovative approach for fabrication of graphene ribbon array by combining the soft–lithography with oxygen plasma etching. Large–scale, high–quality chemical vapor deposition graphene film was patterned into aligned ribbons with width in the range of several hundred nanometers to tens of micrometers (e.g., 100 nm∼30 μm) and periods, according to the size of PDMS stamp and etching time. The morphology and quality of patterned graphene ribbons were characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Electrical measurements on patterned graphene ribbons show a symmetric transport behavior, which could be an ideal platform for sensing. Further, temperature dependent conductance measurements reveal a thermal excitation effect. Our strategies open a new avenue to patterned graphene ribbons for multi–functional nanodevice engineering.