In situ electronic characterization of graphene nanoconstrictions fabricated in a transmission electron microscope.

ABSTRACT: We report electronic measurements on high-quality graphene nanoconstrictions (GNCs) fabricated in a transmission electron microscope (TEM), and the first measurements on GNC conductance with an accurate measurement of constriction width down to 1 nm. To create the GNCs, freely suspended graphene ribbons were fabricated using few-layer graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition. The ribbons were loaded into the TEM, and a current-annealing procedure was used to clean the material and improve its electronic characteristics. The TEM beam was then used to sculpt GNCs to a series of desired widths in the range 1-700 nm; after each sculpting step, the sample was imaged by TEM and its electronic properties were measured in situ. GNC conductance was found to be remarkably high, comparable to that

SUBMITTER: Lu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3382988 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature