Continuous Growth of Hexagonal Graphene and Boron Nitride In-Plane Heterostructures by Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition

Abstract

Graphene-boron nitride monolayer heterostructures contain adjacent electrically active and insulating regions in a continuous, single-atom thick layer. To date structures were grown at low pressure, resulting in irregular shapes and edge direction, so studies of the graphene-boron nitride interface were restricted to microscopy of nano-domains. Here we report templated growth of single crystalline hexagonal boron nitride directly from the oriented edge of hexagonal graphene flakes by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition, and physical property measurements that inform the design of in-plane hybrid electronics. Ribbons of boron nitride monolayer were grown from the edge of a graphene template and inherited its crystallographic orientation. The relative sharpness of the interface was tuned through control of growth conditions. Frequent tearing at the graphene-boron nitride interface was observed, so density functional theory was used to determine that the nitrogen-terminated interface was prone to instability during cool down. The electronic functionality of monolayer heterostructures was demonstrated through fabrication of field effect transistors with boron nitride as an in-plane gate dielectric.

Vertical and in-plane heterostructures from WS2/MoS2 monolayers

“…Lateral heterostructures, in contrast, can only be created via growth. Both vertical and in-plane heterostructures of semimetallic graphene and insulating h-BN have been recently demonstrated via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) [20][21][22][23][24] ; however, direct growth of heterostructures consisting of different semiconducting monolayers has not been achieved.…”

Synthesis of large single-crystal hexagonal boron nitride grains on Cu–Ni alloy

“…The spectrum taken in the surface of h-BN (magenta dot) exhibits a characteristic peak at 1,370 cm À 1 because of the E 2g phonon mode of h-BN 45 , consistent with previous report on the Raman signature of mechanical exfoliated monolayer h-BN films 13 . The peak near 1,450 cm À 1 is from the third-order transverse optic mode of the silicon 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 substrate 46,47 . Both the spectra taken in the surfaces of graphene/ SiO 2 (olive dot) and graphene/h-BN (violet dot) indicate that the graphene grain is a well-crystallized monolayer with few defects 48,49 .…”

Synthesis of High‐Quality Graphene and Hexagonal Boron Nitride Monolayer In‐Plane Heterostructure on Cu–Ni Alloy

“…Sequential growth of graphene/ h ‐BN on catalytic metal surfaces via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been extensively studied to form in‐plane heterostructure 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Templated growth of h ‐BN starting from CVD graphene edges on copper has been realized with lattice coherency of the two crystals 14, 16.…”

“…Templated growth of h ‐BN starting from CVD graphene edges on copper has been realized with lattice coherency of the two crystals 14, 16. However, defects may form in graphene domains due to its relatively low chemical stability during the h ‐BN growth.…”