Self-Assembly of Graphene Single Crystals with Uniform Size and Orientation: The First 2D Super-Ordered Structure

Abstract

The challenges facing the rapid developments of highly integrated electronics, photonics, and microelectromechanical systems suggest that effective fabrication technologies are urgently needed to produce ordered structures using components with high performance potential. Inspired by the spontaneous organization of molecular units into ordered structures by noncovalent interactions, we succeed for the first time in synthesizing a two-dimensional superordered structure (2DSOS). As demonstrated by graphene, the 2DSOS was prepared via self-assembly of high-quality graphene single crystals under mutual electrostatic force between the adjacent crystals assisted by airflow-induced hydrodynamic forces at the liquid metal surface. The as-obtained 2DSOS exhibits tunable periodicity in the crystal space and outstanding uniformity in size and orientation. Moreover, the intrinsic property of each building block is preserved. With simplicity, scalability, and continuously adjustable feature size, the presented approach may open new territory for the precise assembly of 2D atomic crystals and facilitate its application in structurally derived integrated systems.