Field-effect transistors based on thermally treated electron beam-induced carbonaceous patterns

Controlling the physicochemical state of carbon on graphene using focused electron-beam-induced deposition

Focused electron-beam-induced deposition (FEBID) is a promising nanolithography technique using "direct-write" patterning by carbon line and dot deposits on graphene. Understanding interactions between deposited carbon molecules and graphene enables highly localized modification of graphene properties, which is foundational to the FEBID utility as a nanopatterning tool. In this study, we demonstrate a unique possibility to induce dramatically different adsorption states of FEBID-produced carbon deposits on graphene, through density functional theory calculations and complementary Raman experiments. Specifically, an amorphous carbon deposit formed by direct irradiation of high energy primary electrons exhibits unusually strong interactions with graphene via covalent bonding, whereas the FEBID carbon formed due to low-energy secondary electrons is only weakly interacting with graphene via physisorption. These observations not only are of fundamental importance to basic physical chemistry of FEBID carbon-graphene interactions but also enable the use of selective laser-assisted postdeposition ablation to effectively remove the parasitically deposited, physisorbed carbon films for improving FEBID patterning resolution.

Nanocarbon-scanning probe microscopy synergy: fundamental aspects to nanoscale devices

Scanning probe techniques scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) have emerged as unique local probes for imaging, manipulation, and modification of surfaces at the nanoscale. Exercising the fabrication of atomic and nansocale devices with desired properties have demanded rapid development of scanning probe based nanolithographies. Dip pen nanolithography (DPN) and local anodic oxidation (LAO) have been widely employed for fabricating functional patterns and prototype devices at nanoscale. This review discusses the progress in AFM bias lithography with focus on nanocarbon species on which many functional quantum device structures have been realized using local electrochemical and electrostatic processes. As water meniscus is central to AFM bias lithography, the meniscus formation, estimation and visualization is discussed briefly. A number of graphene-based nanodevices have been realized on the basis AFM bias lithography in the form of nanoribbons, nanorings and quantum dots with sufficiently small dimensions to show quantum phenomena such as conductance fluctuations. Several studies involving graphitic surfaces and carbon nanotubes are also covered. AFM based scratching technique is another promising approach for the fabrication of nanogap electrodes, important in molecular electronics.

High-mobility field effect transistors based on supramolecular charge transfer nanofibres

Self-assembled charge transfer supramolecular nanofibres of coronene tetracarboxylate (CS) and dodecyl substituted unsymmetric viologen derivative (DMV) behave as active channel in field effect transistors exhibiting high mobility. These devices work in ambient conditions and can regenerate in the presence of a single drop of water.

Field effect transistors and photodetectors based on nanocrystalline graphene derived from electron beam induced carbonaceous patterns

We describe a transfer-free method for the fabrication of nanocrystalline graphene (nc-graphene) on SiO(2) substrates directly from patterned carbonaceous deposits. The deposits were produced from the residual hydrocarbons present in the vacuum chamber without any external source by using an electron beam induced carbonaceous deposition (EBICD) process. Thermal treatment under vacuum conditions in the presence of Ni catalyst transformed the EBIC deposit into nc-graphene patterns, confirmed using Raman and TEM analysis. The nc-graphene patterns have been employed as an active p-type channel material in a field effect transistor (FET) which showed a hole mobility of ~90 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). The nc-graphene also proved to be suitable material for IR detection.