  We demonstrate a method by which few-layer graphene samples can be etched
along crystallographic axes by thermally activated metallic nanoparticles. The
technique results in long (>1 micron) crystallographic edges etched through to
the insulating substrate, making the process potentially useful for atomically
precise graphene device fabrication. This advance could enable atomically
precise construction of integrated circuits from single graphene sheets with a
wide range of technological applications.
