Hexagonal BN atomic layer

  • Li Song, Research Center of Exotic Nanocarbons, Shinshu University and NSRL, University of Science and Technology of China, Japan
  • Morinobu Endo, Research Center of Exotic Nanocarbons, Shinshu University, Japan
  • Pulickel Ajayan, Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, Rice University, Houston, United States

It is well known that dimensionality is one of the most defining material parameters, for example the same chemical compound with different 0D, 1D, 2D, or 3D crystal arrangements, may exhibit dramatically different properties [1]. Two dimensional (2D) architectures are of particular interest, because their planar geometry is compatible with wafer-level processing. Bulk of boron nitride (BN) is a wide band gap ceramic with remarkable physical properties and chemical stabilities [2]. It has been produced in an amorphous and several crystalline forms, such as cubic, hexagonal and disordered BN. Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), similar to graphite, is a layered compound. Monolayer hexagonal BN (named “white graphene”) comprises of alternating boron and nitrogen atoms in a honeycomb arrangement, consisting of sp2-bonded 2D layer. Within each layer of h-BN, boron and nitrogen atoms are bound by strong covalent bonds, whereas the layers are held together by weak van der Waals forces, as in graphite. Therefore, h-BN could be peeled off from bulk BN crystal by micro-mechanical cleavage [3]. Few h-BN layers have also been made by ultra-sonication and high-energy electron beam irradiation of BN particles [4-5]. Recently, our group has invented a chemical decomposition of reaction of Ammonia Borane precursor to demonstrate the growth of atomic h-BN layer [6]. Here, we will present our recent progress on the synthesis and characterization of BN materials.

References:
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[2]. Pouch, J.J.&Alterovitz, S.A. Synthesis and properties of Boron Nitride (Trans Tech Publications, Enfield, NH, 1990).
[3]. Pacile, D., Meyer, J.C., Girit, C.O.&Zettl, A. Appl. Phys. Lett., 92, 133107-1-4 (2008).
[4]. Zhi, C., Bando, Y., Tang, C., Kuwahara, H.&Golberg, D. Adv. Mater., 21, 2889-2893 (2009).
[5]. Mayer, J.C., Chuvilin, A., Algara-Siller, G., Biskupek, J.&Kaiser, U. Nano Lett., 9, 2683-2689 (2009).
[6]. Song, L., Ci, L.J., Lu, H., Sorokin, P.B., Jin, C.H., Ni, J., Kvashnin, A.G., Kvashnin, D.G., Lou, J., Yakobson, B.I.&Ajayan, P.M. Nano Lett., 10, 3209-3215 (2010).