Nanolithography Techniques for Two-Dimensional Materials

Nanolithography of two-dimensional (2D) materials encompasses a suite of methods that enable patterning at the nanometre scale to exploit the extraordinary electronic, optical and mechanical properties of atomically thin crystals. These approaches generally employ a sharp probe or focused beam to induce localised chemical, mechanical or electrical modifications, thus allowing direct writing of nanopatterns without the need for resist layers. Key techniques include mechanical machining with atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips, local anodic oxidation for oxide masking, and controlled scratching or milling to define nanostructures. Advances in tip functionalisation, environmental control and process automation have improved resolution to sub-20 nm, while the adaptability of these methods has been demonstrated across graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides and graphene oxide. The resulting nanostructures have immediate relevance for ultrafast transistors, photodetectors, quantum devices and heterogeneous van der Waals assemblies, illustrating the global significance of precise nanofabrication in next-generation electronics and sensing technologies.

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Research from all publishers

Recent studies have employed AFM‐based techniques to integrate imaging and fabrication in a single platform, demonstrating mechanical, thermal and electrical modes of tip–sample interaction. One work introduces a classification of AFM nanofabrication modalities and reports tailored removal and deposition of material in graphene and related 2D crystals, paving the way for bespoke device architectures. A second study reveals that the critical load for mechanical lithography on graphene oxide strongly depends on film thickness and local topology, enabling precise nanopatterning at step edges under ultralow forces and subsequent restoration of conjugated structures by thermal annealing. A third contribution achieves sub-20 nm patterning of tungsten diselenide via oxidation scanning probe lithography, fabricating reproducible nanoscale field-effect transistors and point contacts without resist, thereby offering a straightforward route to device down-scaling in transition metal dichalcogenide systems.

Nanolithography Techniques for Two-Dimensional Materials publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanolithography techniques for two-dimensional materials across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Two-dimensional (2D) materials: Atomically thin crystalline sheets, such as graphene or transition metal dichalcogenides, exhibiting unique electronic and mechanical characteristics.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM): A scanning probe technique using a sharp tip to map surface topography and induce local modifications by mechanical, thermal or electrical interactions.

Scanning probe lithography (SPL): A set of direct-writing methods that employ a nanoscale probe to pattern substrates through additive or subtractive processes.

Local anodic oxidation (LAO): An electrochemical technique where a biased AFM tip oxidises the surface to create oxide masks or templates at nanometre resolution.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs): Layered semiconducting materials (e.g. MoS₂, WSe₂) prized for their tunable bandgaps and strong light–matter interactions.

References

1. Research on AFM tip-related nanofabrication of two-dimensional materials. Nanotechnology Reviews (2023).
2. High‐Resolution Scanning Probe Nanolithography of 2D Materials: Novel Nanostructures. Advanced Materials Technologies (2019).
3. Influence of Film Thickness on Nanofabrication of Graphene Oxide. Nanomanufacturing and Metrology (2024).
4. Sub-20 nm patterning of thin layer WSe2 by scanning probe lithography. Applied Physics Letters (2016).