Universal mechanical exfoliation of large-area 2D crystals

Yuan Huang, Yu-Hao Pan, Rong Yang, Li-Hong Bao, Lei Meng, Hai-Lan Luo, Yong-Qing Cai, Guo-Dong Liu, Wen-Juan Zhao, Zhang Zhou, Liang-Mei Wu, Zhi-Li Zhu, Ming Huang, Li-Wei Liu, Lei Liu, Peng Cheng, Ke-Hui Wu, Shi-Bing Tian, Chang-Zhi Gu, You-Guo Shi, Yan-Feng Guo, Zhi Gang Cheng, Jiang-Ping Hu, Lin Zhao, Guan-Hua Yang, Eli Sutter, Peter Sutter (), Ye-Liang Wang, Wei Ji (), Xing-Jiang Zhou () and Hong-Jun Gao ()
Additional contact information
Yuan Huang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yu-Hao Pan: Renmin University of China
Rong Yang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Li-Hong Bao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lei Meng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hai-Lan Luo: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yong-Qing Cai: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Guo-Dong Liu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wen-Juan Zhao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhang Zhou: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Liang-Mei Wu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhi-Li Zhu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Ming Huang: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)
Li-Wei Liu: MIIT Key Laboratory for Low-Dimensional Quantum Structure and Devices, Beijing Institute of Technology
Lei Liu: Peking University
Peng Cheng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Ke-Hui Wu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shi-Bing Tian: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chang-Zhi Gu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
You-Guo Shi: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yan-Feng Guo: Shanghai Tech University
Zhi Gang Cheng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jiang-Ping Hu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lin Zhao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Guan-Hua Yang: Institute of Microelectronics of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Eli Sutter: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Peter Sutter: University of Nebraska—Lincoln
Ye-Liang Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wei Ji: Renmin University of China
Xing-Jiang Zhou: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hong-Jun Gao: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Two-dimensional materials provide extraordinary opportunities for exploring phenomena arising in atomically thin crystals. Beginning with the first isolation of graphene, mechanical exfoliation has been a key to provide high-quality two-dimensional materials, but despite improvements it is still limited in yield, lateral size and contamination. Here we introduce a contamination-free, one-step and universal Au-assisted mechanical exfoliation method and demonstrate its effectiveness by isolating 40 types of single-crystalline monolayers, including elemental two-dimensional crystals, metal-dichalcogenides, magnets and superconductors. Most of them are of millimeter-size and high-quality, as shown by transfer-free measurements of electron microscopy, photo spectroscopies and electrical transport. Large suspended two-dimensional crystals and heterojunctions were also prepared with high-yield. Enhanced adhesion between the crystals and the substrates enables such efficient exfoliation, for which we identify a gold-assisted exfoliation method that underpins a universal route for producing large-area monolayers and thus supports studies of fundamental properties and potential application of two-dimensional materials.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16266-w

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