Self-assembled two-dimensional graphene grating on a dielectric substrate

We present a technique for spatially controlled chemical vapor deposition of graphene on a dielectric substrate. The technique is based on the surface melting of a thin Cu catalyst film pre-deposited on a dielectric substrate with spatially modified surface. The self-assembling of the liquefied copper in predefined fashion on the substrate enables spatially controlled deposition of graphene on the copper-silica interface. The developed technique that involves neither pre- nor post-deposition patterning of the graphene allowed us to fabricate the two dimensional graphene grating with period of 10 μm.