Sustainable fabrication of 2D-based devices through reuse of substrates with microfabricated electrodes.

Abstract

Fabricating microelectronic devices for two-dimensional (2D) materials research is essential but often limited by the high cost and need for specialized facilities. This study establishes a practical method for cleaning and reusing substrates with pre-patterned electrodes. The cleaning protocol involves the use of an ultrasonic bath in warm N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), enabling the removal of 2D materials without damaging the electrodes. Electrical measurements, Raman analysis, and Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements collectively confirm the feasibility of repeatedly reusing the same pre-patterned chip, showing that the cleaned regions exhibit no detectable Raman signatures of the transferred 2D material, retain a largely homogeneous surface-potential distribution, and preserve comparable electrical performance after reuse. By extending the lifetime of pre-patterned chips, this approach can reduce substrate consumption and lower the cost of 2D device prototyping.