Graphene nanopatterns with crystallographic orientation control for nanoelectronic applications

The possibility of parallel processing of several features was investigated experimentally for the two methods allowing the crystallographically controlled nanopatterning of graphene: scanning tunneling lithography (STL) and carbothermal etching (CTE). It was found that with multitip systems both methods are suitable for parallel processing. CTE has the advantages that only in the atomic force microscope (AFM) indentation phase is needed the multitip system and it can reveal the location of grain boundaries, so that the nanodevices can be placed in a way that they do not cross grain boundaries. STL is well suited for purposefully producing twisted graphene multilayers with precisely-know misorientations of the individual layers, as also evidenced by Moiré-type patterns observed in the atomic resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images.

► Parallel processing of graphene by scanning tunneling lithography (STL) and by carbothermal etching (CTE) was compared.
► STL with a double STM tip was carried out for the first time. Feature reproducibility was demonstrated.
► Highly reproducible parallel feature formation was demonstrated for CTE.
► The location of grain boundaries expected to influence the transport through graphene nanodevices can be revealed by CTE.
► STL is suitable to produce 3D graphene nanoarchitectures from twisted layers with known layer misorientation.