Graphene and h-BN by a Single Molecular Precursor
The fabrication of graphene h-BN layers is rather challenging. We report here a novel bottom-up approach to obtain a continuous almost free-standing hexagonal single layer with perfectly merging graphene and hexagonal boron-nitride domains using only one molecular precursor.
S. Nappini et al., Adv. Funct. Mater. 7, 1120 (2016).
We have demonstrated that a simple thermal decomposition of dimethylamine borane (DMAB) is sufficient to obtain a G-h-BN layer on Pt(111). This growth route allows an easy and controlled preparation of a continuous almost freestanding layer mostly composed by G and h-BN in the same two dimensional sheet by dehydrogenation and pyrolytic decomposition of DMAB on Pt(111). The temperature is the principal parameter to selectively grow the G-h-BN layer in competition with hybridized B-C-N layers on the clean crystal surface. We have grown and investigated the h-BNG layer on Pt(111) at the BACH beamline by high-resolution core level X-ray photoemission (XPS) and near-edge absorption spectroscopy (NEXAFS) and at the Nanospectroscopy beamline by low energy electron microscopy (LEEM) combined with X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (XPEEM), micro-spot electron |
energy loss spectroscopy (µ-EELS) and low energy electron diffraction (µ-LEED). Our findings show that dehydrogenation and pyrolytic decomposition of DMAB is an efficient and easy method for obtaining a continuous almost freestanding layer made of G, h-BN in the same two dimensional sheet on a metal substrate, such as Pt(111), paving the way for the advancement of next-generation G-like-based electronics and novel spintronic devices. Retrieve articleFormation of a Quasi-Free-Standing Single Layer of Graphene and Hexagonal Boron Nitride on Pt(111) by a Single Molecular Precursor;S. Nappini, I. Píš, T.O. Menteş, A. Sala, M. Cattelan, S. Agnoli, F. Bondino and E. Magnano; Adv. Funct. Mater. 7, 1120 (2016); doi: 10.1002/adfm.201503591; |