Etching of Graphene Devices with a Helium Ion Beam

Abstract

We report on the etching of graphene devices with a helium ion beam, including in situ electrical measurement during lithography. The etching process can be used to nanostructure and electrically isolate different regions in a graphene device, as demonstrated by etching a channel in a suspended graphene device with etched gaps down to about 10 nm. Graphene devices on silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) substrates etch with lower He ion doses and are found to have a residual conductivity after etching, which we attribute to contamination by hydrocarbons.

Understanding the interaction between energetic ions and freestanding graphene towards practical 2D perforation

“…Use of freestanding graphene allowed us to create patterns while avoiding undesirable secondary effects during FIB milling (e.g., ion implanting and substrate swelling), unlike frequently reported for the supported graphene samples. 13,15,32,50 CONCLUSION:…”

Structural Defects in Graphene

“…18,88Ϫ91 It can be used to selectively produce certain defects (typically vacancies) 92 or to pattern and cut graphene with a precision down to 10 nm utilizing a focused ion beam (FIB). 93 In Figure 12a,b, the number of SVs and DVs in graphene irradiated with different noble gas ions is shown as a function of the ion energy. It is evident that for suspended graphene the number of sputtered atoms is about one for nearly all noble gas ions.…”

Ultrafast Nonlinear Control of Progressively Loaded, Single Plasmonic Nanoantennas Fabricated Using Helium Ion Milling

“…10 The helium ion microscope is also a patterning tool which can be used to pattern resist like EBL 11 or can be used for direct writing on the substrate like a FIB. 12 Helium ion milling (HIM) has been applied successfully to the structuring of a variety of systems such as silicon nitride, 12 graphene, 13 and magnetic spin valves. 14 Recently, the first plasmonic application was reported where HIM was used to obtain narrow (<5 nm) plasmonic resonators in a crystalline Au substrate.…”