An all-dry method for the pattern transfer during device fabrication based on organic mask

Abstract

Tremendous scientific interests have been focused on two-dimensional (2D) materials in recent decades due to their diverse structural features and physicochemical properties. To reveal the electronic transport properties of 2D materials, traditional nano-fabrication processes based on lithography are normally utilized, which may introduce damages stemming from heating, exposure to air, organic contamination, ultraviolet or electron beam irradiation. Herein, we report an all-dry method for fabricating devices based on flakes of van der Waals materials. In our strategy, polyvinyl alcohol, serving as a supporting layer, is introduced to carry and release PMMA masks with high structural stability, high pattern resolution (≤600 nm), and large size up to inch scale (∼1.2 in.). During the process, the sample is subjected to a heating temperature as low as 65 °C. Employing this approach, the intrinsic transport properties are confirmed in mesoscopic devices of air-sensitive ZrSiSe flakes. This new process comprehensively avoids a variety of factors that may damage samples in traditional lithography processes, and it holds great promise for advancing the understanding of the intrinsic transport characteristics of new types of 2D materials in future research.