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Atomic-scale electron-beam sculpting of defect-free graphene nanostructures

In order to harvest the many promising properties of graphene in (electronic) applications, a technique is required to cut, shape or sculpt the material on a nanoscale without damage to its atomic structure, as this drastically influences the electronic properties of the nanostructure. Here, we reveal a temperature-dependent self-repair mechanism allowing damage-free atomic-scale sculpting of graphene using a focused electron beam. We demonstrate that by sculpting at temperatures above 600 °C, an intrinsic self-repair mechanism keeps the graphene single-crystalline during cutting, even thought the electron beam induces considerable damage. Self-repair is mediated by mobile carbon ad-atoms constantly repairing the defects caused by the electron beam. Our technique allows reproducible fabrication and simultaneous imaging of single-crystalline free-standing nanoribbons, nanotubes, nanopores, and single carbon chains.