The invention consists of a special synthesis concept for the assembly of reinforced, ultra-thin membranes made from so called 2-dimensional materials: A primary, 1–10 atomic layer thick film of the 2-dim material is synthesized and lithographically pre-structured towards a film containing a periodic hole structure. A secondary ultra-thin (1–5 atomic layer) film of the same material is then synthesized and merged with the holey film with contact at the nm length scale to result in a novel 2-dim membrane material with periodically alternating film thickness. The basic structure of such an assembly is shown in the TOC Figure.
The resulting new material combines the high mechanical stability of the thick membrane sections with the properties of the thinner membrane segments. Already a doubled membrane thickness leads to a significant stability increase in these thickness regimes, while the thin regions are highly required in applications where the electronic properties rapidly change with decreasing thickness or where the thin membrane sections turn into an electron transparent material.
The novel 2-dim material can be used to span large holes with ultra-thin, freestanding membranes, but may also be used to achieve a highly reliable transfer protocol for the assembly of devices in planar technology.