Batch Fabrication of Transfer-Free Graphene-Coated Microcantilevers

This letter reports a method for transfer-free graphene growth and its application to batch fabrication of graphene-coated microcantilevers. Transfer-free graphene was synthesized directly on insulating substrates from solid carbon sources of poly(methyl methacrylate) or amorphous carbon. The graphene thickness and quality were controlled by optimizing the amount of solid carbon source, annealing temperature, and growth time. This synthesis method was then used to fabricate more than 100 graphene-coated cantilevers on a silicon substrate of size 2 cm x 2.5 cm. More than 90% of the cantilever surface was coated with high-quality multilayer graphene, and the overall device yield was ∼75%.