Direct writing of electronic devices on graphene oxide by catalytic scanning probe lithography

Reduction of graphene oxide at the nanoscale is an attractive approach to graphene-based electronics. Here we use a platinum-coated atomic force microscope tip to locally catalyse the reduction of insulating graphene oxide in the presence of hydrogen. Nanoribbons with widths ranging from 20 to 80 nm and conductivities of >104 S m−1 are successfully generated, and a field effect transistor is produced. The method involves mild operating conditions, and uses arbitrary substrates, atmospheric pressure and low temperatures (≤115 °C). Controlled nanoscale reduction of graphene oxide could aid the development of graphene-based electronics. Here, a relatively mild technique is reported that uses a platinum-coated atomic force microscope tip to catalyse the reduction of graphene oxide to graphene.