Abstract
We report free-standing atomic crystals that are strictly 2D and can
be viewed as individual atomic planes pulled out of bulk crystals
or as unrolled single-wall nanotubes. By using micromechanical cleavage,
we have prepared and studied a variety of 2D crystals including single
layers of boron nitride, graphite, several dichalcogenides, and complex
oxides. These atomically thin sheets (essentially gigantic 2D molecules
unprotected from the immediate environment) are stable under ambient
conditions, exhibit high crystal quality, and are continuous on a
macroscopic scale. This paper was submitted directly (Track II) to
the PNAS office.Abbreviations: AFM, atomic force microscopy; HRTEM,
high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.
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