Transfer-free fabrication of suspended graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition

Graphene, a true two-dimensional material with extraordinary mechanical- and electronic properties, is thought to be ideal for nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), like mass- and force sensors. Here, we present two different ways to fabricate suspended graphene for the intended use in future NEMS applications. The fabrication schemes do not require transfer of graphene from a catalyst where the graphene is grown on to another supporting substrate. The transfer is a source of several issues causing irreproducibility in large-scale production of graphene devices. We obtain suspended graphene membranes by locally removing the copper thin film on top of which the graphene is catalytically grown. The membranes are uniform and exhibit mechanical properties similar to those of exfoliated graphene. Also, suspended graphene beams with electrical interconnects are fabricated from non-catalytically grown graphene on SiO₂. Both approaches represent the first steps towards transfer-free fabrication of suspended graphene for NEMS applications.