Flipping nanoscale ripples of free-standing graphene using a scanning tunneling microscope tip

Synthesis, Structure, and Properties of Graphene and Graphene Oxide

“…2.32c). Except for imaging graphene, STM is also able to manipulate free-standing graphene sheets [256]. As illustrated in Fig.…”

“…Since STM is able to image surfaces with resolution up to 0.1 nm in lateral and 0.01 nm in depth, individual atoms within materials are routinely imaged and manipulated [252]. Recently, STM is also used to image or manipulate single-layer graphene sheets [253][254][255][256]. As shown in Fig.…”

Visualising the strain distribution in suspended two-dimensional materials under local deformation

“…The force-indentation curve of the FLG shows non-linear characteristics, confirming that the FLG is elastically deformed upon AFM-based nanoindentation7. When the AFM tip approaches, first a snap-in of the tip is detected where the tip is bent downwards and the FLG presumably curved slightly upwards1416. This is followed by a rather flat region in the force-indentation curve (up to ~250 nm indentation depth) where the FLG membrane accommodates the initial tip movement predominantly via the flatting of the initially present 50–250 nm high ripples and wrinkles in the suspended FLG (Supplementary Figure S1(a)), as previously reported141655.…”

“…When the AFM tip approaches, first a snap-in of the tip is detected where the tip is bent downwards and the FLG presumably curved slightly upwards1416. This is followed by a rather flat region in the force-indentation curve (up to ~250 nm indentation depth) where the FLG membrane accommodates the initial tip movement predominantly via the flatting of the initially present 50–250 nm high ripples and wrinkles in the suspended FLG (Supplementary Figure S1(a)), as previously reported141655. Then the FLG membrane enters the elastic deformation regime56, in which C-C bond stretching becomes important and which is the focus of our current work.…”

“…Characterization of free-standing, atomically thin two-dimensional membranes often employs scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) or scanning tunneling microscopy (STM)78910. Recent work has however highlighted that SPM techniques do not leave the atomically thin membrane mechanically undisturbed during measurements11121314151617. Instead, SPM measurements lead to local membrane deformations at the location of the scanning tip.…”