Atomically‐Precise Texturing of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanostripes

Abstract

Monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is attracting considerable attention because of its potential applications in areas such as nano-and opto-electronics, quantum optics and nanomagnetism. However, the implementation of such functional hBN demands precise lateral nanostructuration and integration with other two-dimensional materials, and hence, novel routes of synthesis beyond exfoliation. Here, a disruptive approach is demonstrated, namely, imprinting the lateral pattern of an atomically stepped one-dimensional template into a hBN monolayer. Specifically, hBN is epitaxially grown on vicinal Rhodium (Rh) surfaces using a Rh curved crystal for a systematic exploration, which produces a periodically textured, nanostriped hBN carpet that coats Rh(111)-oriented terraces and lattice-matched Rh(337) facets with tunable width. The electronic structure reveals a nanoscale periodic modulation of the hBN atomic potential that leads to an effective lateral semiconductor multi-stripe. The potential of such atomically thin hBN heterostructure for future applications is discussed.

Electronic band structure of 1D π–d hybridized narrow-gap metal–organic polymers

“…Their direct growth on insulating surfaces such as TiO 2 (111) 26,41 or anisotropic graphene or hexagonal boron nitride on Ir(110), vicinal Ni(111) and curved Rh surfaces would enable exploiting their intrinsic electronic and magnetic properties. 21,42,43 Moreover, the well-aligned MO chains on Au(788) may be transferable onto semiconducting substrates following established protocols for GNRs 44 and potentially used in nanodevices for spin sensing, spintronics, quantum computing based on the spin degree of freedom or high-density information storage.…”

Engineering quantum states and electronic landscapes through surface molecular nanoarchitectures

“…The analyzed organic and metal-organic systems require the use of the EBEM for finite structures (LDOS) and/or the EPWE for periodic arrays (Bloch-wave states) (García de Abajo et al, 2010;Klappenberger et al, 2011;Abd El-Fattah et al, 2019). Note that EPWE developed as a predictive tool not only for single layer molecular networks on surfaces but also for atomic 2D materials (such as graphene and h-BN), GNRs, polymers, and single molecules (Piquero-Zulaica et al, 2018;Abd El-Fattah et al, 2019;Kher-Elden et al, 2020;Ali et al, 2021).…”

A ferromagnetic Eu–Pt surface compound grown below hexagonal boron nitride

“…The latter situation is similar to stepped Ni crystals covered by hBN, 62 while the ordered structures are rather close to the Rh case, where hBN growth on stepped surfaces leads to periodically arranged nanofacets. 63 One interesting question is whether the hBN forms a continuous, defect-free coat over the hill-and-valley structure underneath, since this requires "bending" of the hBN layer over Pt substrate facets. Due to step-bunching/faceting, the hBN monolayer must bend at the facet borders, i.e., step edges of the underlying Pt substrate must be overgrown by hBN to create a defect-free film.…”