A Practical Flake Segmentation and Indexing Pipeline for Automated 2D Material Stacking

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Li, Yutao, Sherlock, Logan, Benderson, Ryan, Ostrom, Daniel, Chen, Huandong, Fujita, Kazuhiro, Pasupathy, Abhay
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Li, Yutao
Sherlock, Logan
Benderson, Ryan
Ostrom, Daniel
Chen, Huandong
Fujita, Kazuhiro
Pasupathy, Abhay
author_facet Li, Yutao
Sherlock, Logan
Benderson, Ryan
Ostrom, Daniel
Chen, Huandong
Fujita, Kazuhiro
Pasupathy, Abhay
contents A cost-effective and robust image-processing pipeline is presented for the detection and characterization of exfoliated two-dimensional (2D) material flakes in optical microscope images, designed to facilitate automation in van der Waals heterostructure assembly. The system combines shallow machine learning (ML)-based material classification with a precision-first flake detection algorithm driven by edge morphology and color discontinuity. Step edges are resolved when supported by optical contrast, while spurious features such as dust and background texture are reliably rejected. Each identified flake is exported in a structured format that includes centroid coordinates, bounding geometries, average RGB color, and estimated optical thickness, enabling seamless integration into automated pick-up and stacking workflows. The pipeline is hardware-light and operates without the need for deep learning models or nanoscale ground-truth labels, making it practical for scalable front-end wafer processing at a hardware cost of under 30,000 USD. In contrast to prior approaches that focus solely on detection accuracy, the proposed system unifies flake segmentation with indexing, filtering, and blueprint-driven stacking, forming a closed-loop workflow from image acquisition to device planning. Its low annotation requirement and flexible implementation enable rapid deployment across diverse 2D material systems and imaging conditions.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_01826
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A Practical Flake Segmentation and Indexing Pipeline for Automated 2D Material Stacking
Li, Yutao
Sherlock, Logan
Benderson, Ryan
Ostrom, Daniel
Chen, Huandong
Fujita, Kazuhiro
Pasupathy, Abhay
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Instrumentation and Detectors
A cost-effective and robust image-processing pipeline is presented for the detection and characterization of exfoliated two-dimensional (2D) material flakes in optical microscope images, designed to facilitate automation in van der Waals heterostructure assembly. The system combines shallow machine learning (ML)-based material classification with a precision-first flake detection algorithm driven by edge morphology and color discontinuity. Step edges are resolved when supported by optical contrast, while spurious features such as dust and background texture are reliably rejected. Each identified flake is exported in a structured format that includes centroid coordinates, bounding geometries, average RGB color, and estimated optical thickness, enabling seamless integration into automated pick-up and stacking workflows. The pipeline is hardware-light and operates without the need for deep learning models or nanoscale ground-truth labels, making it practical for scalable front-end wafer processing at a hardware cost of under 30,000 USD. In contrast to prior approaches that focus solely on detection accuracy, the proposed system unifies flake segmentation with indexing, filtering, and blueprint-driven stacking, forming a closed-loop workflow from image acquisition to device planning. Its low annotation requirement and flexible implementation enable rapid deployment across diverse 2D material systems and imaging conditions.
title A Practical Flake Segmentation and Indexing Pipeline for Automated 2D Material Stacking
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Instrumentation and Detectors
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.01826