Methods for integrating lead and graphene growth and devices formed therefrom

A method of forming an integrated graphite-based structure comprising:

• (A) patterning a substrate to form a plurality of elements and a plurality of trenches, each respective element in the plurality of elements separated from an adjacent element by a corresponding trench in the plurality of trenches, wherein
• (i) a first element in the plurality of elements is separated from an adjacent second element in the plurality of elements by a first trench,
• (ii) a top of the first element and a bottom of the first trench are separated by a right side wall of the first element,
• (iii) a top of the second element and the bottom of the first trench are separated by a left side wall of the second element,
• (iv) the bottom of the first trench is characterized by a trench width,
• (v) the right side wall of the first element is characterized by a right side height, and
• (vi) the left side wall of the second element is characterized by a left side height;
• and
• (B) depositing a metallic layer on the right side wall of the first element, the metallic layer on the right side wall of the first element having an upper end contacting the top of the first element and a lower end contacting the bottom of the first trench;
• (C) removing a layer from the top of the first element by anisotropically etching the first element, thereby producing an etched top that is lower than the top of the first element prior to etching and thereby exposing the upper end of the metallic layer on the right side wall of the first element;
• and
• (D) concurrently generating a first top graphene layer on the etched top of the first element and a first bottom graphene layer on the bottom of the first trench thereby forming said integrated graphite-based structure, wherein
• (i) a right side of the first top graphene layer contacts the upper end of the metallic layer on the right side wall of the first element, and
• (ii) a left side of the first bottom graphene layer contacts the lower end of the metallic layer on the right side wall of the first element.