Propose an automated exfoliation process of MoS2 with a universal mechanical setup

Abstract

Automation is an engineering method of transforming process speed, reproducibility, and scalability from the corresponding manual process. This paper proposes a simple mechanical setup for automating the exfoliation process of two-dimensional materials constructed with simple commercial parts. Given the large shear force on the adhesive tapes, the tapes can be fixed on a mechanical bar, and the other side of the tape moves with exfoliation from the substrates. The exfoliation rate can be modulated from 2 cm min−1 to 0.014 cm min−1 in the setup. The developed mechanics are simple with various customizable parameters and make the exfoliation process scalable.