Methods for fabricating refined graphite-based structures and devices made therefrom

摘要

Graphite-based devices with a reduced characteristic dimension and methods for forming such devices are provided. One or more thin films are deposited onto a substrate and undesired portions of the deposited thin film or thin films are removed to produce processed elements with reduced characteristic dimensions. Graphene layers are generated on selected processed elements or exposed portions of the substrate after removal of the processed elements. Multiple sets of graphene layers can be generated, each with a different physical characteristic, thereby producing a graphite-based device with multiple functionalities in the same device.

主权项

1. A method of forming a graphite-based structure on a patterned substrate, the patterned substrate comprising a plurality of initial elements and a plurality of initial trenches, wherein each respective initial element in the plurality of initial elements is separated from an adjacent initial element in the plurality of initial elements by a corresponding initial trench in the plurality of initial trenches, the method comprising:
(A) conformally depositing a first material on the patterned substrate, thereby producing a first thin film overlaying the patterned substrate, wherein the first thin film is characterized by a first thickness that does not exceed (a) a minimum initial element width of the plurality of initial elements, or (b) a minimum initial trench width of the plurality of initial trenches; (B) anisotropically etching the substrate to remove other portions of the first thin film while retaining portions of the first thin film overlaid on side walls of the plurality of initial elements, thereby producing a plurality of processed elements, wherein
(i) each respective processed element in the plurality of processed elements is characterized by a retained portion of the first thin film on a side wall of a corresponding initial element in the plurality of initial elements, and(ii) the plurality of processed elements has a reduced width that corresponds to the first thickness and does not exceed (a) the minimum initial element width or (b) the minimum initial trench width; and (C) concurrently generating a first plurality of graphene layers, wherein each respective graphene layer in the first plurality of graphene layers is generated on a top surface of a corresponding processed element in the plurality of processed elements, thereby producing said refined graphite-based structure with isolated graphene layers having the reduced width.