A method is described for levitating micron-sized few layer graphene flakes
in a quadrupole ion trap. Starting from a liquid suspension containing
graphene, charged flakes are injected into the trap using the electrospray
ionization technique and are probed optically. At micro-torr pressures, torques
from circularly polarized light cause the levitated particles to rotate at
frequencies >1 MHz, which can be inferred from modulation of light scattering
off the rotating flake when an electric field resonant with the rotation rate
is applied. Possible applications of these techniques will be presented, both
to fundamental measurements of the mechanical and electronic properties of
graphene and to new approaches to graphene crystal growth, modification and
manipulation.Comment: 23 pages, 11 figure
