Interfacing Ultraclean Graphene with Solid-State Devices

Abstract

Interfacing graphene with solid-state devices and maintaining it free of contamination is a crucial step towards a functioning device, be it a semiconductor structure or any other device for technological applications. We take advantage of the catalytic properties of platinum metals to completely remove the polymer capping after the transfer of macroscopic graphene sheets to a solid-state device. For that purpose a platinum metal coated structure is brought in close proximity with the polymer capping. Subsequent annealing in air at a temperature between 175 and 350{\deg}C actuates a complete catalytic removal of the polymer. Finally, the platinum metal catalyst is removed revealing ultra clean graphene interfaced with an arbitrary device. Experiments to interface macroscopic graphene layers with oxidized silicon wafers demonstrate the general applicability of this approach. In repeating the procedure, multi-layer graphene sheets can also be produced. Direct evidence for the latter is provided by optical images of three overlapping graphene sheets. The exceeding level of cleanliness of the graphene is examined on the nanometer scale by means of low-energy electron transmission microscopy.