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Nanomaterials
Volume 15
Issue 12
10.3390/nano15120888
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Review

Atomic Manipulation of 2D Materials by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Advances in Graphene and Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

by
Tingting Wang
1,
Lingtao Zhan
1,
Teng Zhang
1,*,
Yan Li
1,
Haolong Fan
1,
Xiongbai Cao
1,
Zhenru Zhou
1,
Qinze Yu
1,
Cesare Grazioli
2,
Huixia Yang
1,
Quanzhen Zhang
1,* and
Yeliang Wang
1,*
1
School of Integrated Circuits and Electronics & Yangtze Delta Region Academy, Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), Beijing 100081, China
2
CNR—Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), S.S. 14 km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Nanomaterials 2025, 15(12), 888; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15120888 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 30 April 2025 / Revised: 30 May 2025 / Accepted: 2 June 2025 / Published: 8 June 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2D Structured Materials: Synthesis, Properties and Applications (2nd Edition))
Versions Notes

Abstract

This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in atomic-scale manipulation of two-dimensional (2D) materials, particularly graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). STM, originally developed for high-resolution imaging, has evolved into a powerful tool for precise manipulation of 2D materials, enabling translational, rotational, folding, picking, and etching operations at the nanoscale. These manipulation techniques are critical for constructing custom heterostructures, tuning electronic properties, and exploring dynamic behaviors such as superlubricity, strain engineering, phase transitions, and quantum confinement effects. We detail the fundamental mechanisms behind STM-based manipulations and present representative experimental results, including stress-induced bandgap modulation, tip-induced phase transformations, and atomic-precision nanostructuring. The versatility and cleanliness of STM offer unique advantages over conventional transfer methods, paving the way for innovative applications in nanoelectronics, quantum devices, and 2D material-based systems. Finally, we discuss current challenges and future prospects of integrating STM manipulation with advanced computational techniques for automated nanofabrication.
Keywords: scanning tunneling microscopy (STM); atomic manipulation; graphene; transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) scanning tunneling microscopy (STM); atomic manipulation; graphene; transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs)

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Wang, T.; Zhan, L.; Zhang, T.; Li, Y.; Fan, H.; Cao, X.; Zhou, Z.; Yu, Q.; Grazioli, C.; Yang, H.; et al. Atomic Manipulation of 2D Materials by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Advances in Graphene and Transition Metal Dichalcogenides. Nanomaterials 2025, 15, 888. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15120888

AMA Style

Wang T, Zhan L, Zhang T, Li Y, Fan H, Cao X, Zhou Z, Yu Q, Grazioli C, Yang H, et al. Atomic Manipulation of 2D Materials by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Advances in Graphene and Transition Metal Dichalcogenides. Nanomaterials. 2025; 15(12):888. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15120888

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wang, Tingting, Lingtao Zhan, Teng Zhang, Yan Li, Haolong Fan, Xiongbai Cao, Zhenru Zhou, Qinze Yu, Cesare Grazioli, Huixia Yang, and et al. 2025. "Atomic Manipulation of 2D Materials by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Advances in Graphene and Transition Metal Dichalcogenides" Nanomaterials 15, no. 12: 888. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15120888

APA Style

Wang, T., Zhan, L., Zhang, T., Li, Y., Fan, H., Cao, X., Zhou, Z., Yu, Q., Grazioli, C., Yang, H., Zhang, Q., & Wang, Y. (2025). Atomic Manipulation of 2D Materials by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Advances in Graphene and Transition Metal Dichalcogenides. Nanomaterials, 15(12), 888. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15120888

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