Epitaxy of boron nitride monolayers for graphene-based lateral heterostructures

Abstract Monolayers of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are grown on graphite substrates using high-temperature molecular beam epitaxy (HT-MBE). The hBN monolayers observed to grow predominantly from step edges the surface and exhibit a strong dependence morphology, including dominant crystallographic edge, monolayers, growth temperature, as well systematic variations in rate coverage, significant differences at monolayer multilayer steps. At steps grows laterally across lower terrace, but upper side is more limited nucleated by three-dimensional clusters. Multilayer much higher density non-planar aggregates both terraces occurs. results show that edge type, island shape presence can be controlled HT-MBE, with highest quality layers substrate temperature about 1390 °C. Sequential HT-MBE hBN, graphene (G) second cycle formation thick lateral hBN–G–hBN heterostructures, which strip G embedded between hBN.