Rotationally Aligned Hexagonal Boron Nitride on Sapphire by High-Temperature Molecular Beam Epitaxy
arXiv:1906.07034 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.3.064001
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has been grown on sapphire substrates by ultra-high temperature molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). A wide range of substrate temperatures and boron fluxes have been explored, revealing that high crystalline quality hBN layers are grown at high substrate temperatures, 1600C, and low boron fluxes, Torr beam equivalent pressure. \emph{In-situ} reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) revealed the growth of hBN layers with rotational symmetry and the axis of hBN parallel to the axis of the sapphire substrate. Unlike the rough, polycrystalline films previously reported, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization of these films demonstrate smooth, layered, few-nanometer hBN films on a nitridated sapphire substrate. This demonstration of high-quality hBN growth by MBE is a step towards its integration into existing epitaxial growth platforms, applications, and technologies.
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