Preparing local strain patterns in graphene by atomic force microscope based indentation

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 3035 - 7
• Main Authors: Nemes-Incze, Péter, Kukucska, Gergő, Koltai, János, Kürti, Jenő, Hwang, Chanyong, Tapasztó, Levente, Biró, László P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 08-06-2017; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 140/133; 142/136; 639/766/119/544; 639/925/918/1053; Atomic force microscopy; Humanities and Social Sciences; Mechanical stimuli; Microscopes; multidisciplinary; Nanotubes; Quantum dots; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Strain
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03332-5

Patterning graphene into various mesoscopic devices such as nanoribbons, quantum dots, etc. by lithographic techniques has enabled the guiding and manipulation of graphene’s Dirac-type charge carriers. Graphene, with well-defined strain patterns, holds promise of similarly rich physics while avoiding the problems created by the hard to control edge configuration of lithographically prepared devices. To engineer the properties of graphene via mechanical deformation, versatile new techniques are needed to pattern strain profiles in a controlled manner. Here we present a process by which strain can be created in substrate supported graphene layers. Our atomic force microscope-based technique opens up new possibilities in tailoring the properties of graphene using mechanical strain.