Synthesis and characterization of hexagonal boron nitride film as a dielectric layer for graphene devices.

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a promising material as a dielectric layer or substrate for two-dimensional electronic devices. In this work, we report the synthesis of large-area h-BN film using atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition on a copper foil, followed by Cu etching and transfer to a target substrate. The growth rate of h-BN film at a constant temperature is strongly affected by the concentration of borazine as a precursor and the ambient gas condition such as the ratio of hydrogen and nitrogen. h-BN films with different thicknesses can be achieved by controlling the growth time or tuning the growth conditions. Transmission electron microscope characterization reveals that these h-BN films are polycrystalline, and the c-axis of the crystallites points to different directions. The stoichiometry ratio of boron and nitrogen is close to 1:1, obtained by electron energy loss spectroscopy. The dielectric constant of h-BN film obtained by parallel capacitance measurements (25 μm(2) large areas) is 2-4. These CVD-grown h-BN films were integrated as a dielectric layer in top-gated CVD graphene devices, and the mobility of the CVD graphene device (in the few thousands cm(2)/(V·s) range) remains the same before and after device integration.

[1]  T. Greber,et al.  Formation of single layer h-BN on Pd(1 1 1) , 2006 .

[2]  Jong-hee Kim,et al.  Properties of Boron Nitride (BxNy) Films Produced by the Spin‐Coating Process of Polyborazine , 2004 .

[3]  J. Blakely,et al.  Carbon monolayer phase condensation on Ni(111) , 1979 .

[4]  Kwang S. Kim,et al.  Large-scale pattern growth of graphene films for stretchable transparent electrodes , 2009, Nature.

[5]  Takashi Taniguchi,et al.  Direct-bandgap properties and evidence for ultraviolet lasing of hexagonal boron nitride single crystal , 2004, Nature materials.

[6]  M. L. Ng,et al.  Influence of chemical interaction at the lattice-mismatched h-BN/Rh(111) and h-BN/Pt(111) interfaces on the overlayer morphology , 2007 .

[7]  Pekka J. Hautojärvi,et al.  The adsorption and decomposition of acetylene on clean and K-covered Co(0001) , 1997 .

[8]  Young Hee Lee,et al.  Enhancing the conductivity of transparent graphene films via doping , 2010, Nanotechnology.

[9]  A. Bratkovsky,et al.  Unusual flexoelectric effect in two-dimensional noncentrosymmetric sp2-bonded crystals. , 2009, Physical review letters.

[10]  Masahiro Sasaki,et al.  Highly oriented monolayer graphite formation on Pt(111) by a supersonic methane beam , 2004 .

[11]  A. Lipp,et al.  Hexagonal boron nitride: Fabrication, properties and applications , 1989 .

[12]  S. Banerjee,et al.  Large-Area Synthesis of High-Quality and Uniform Graphene Films on Copper Foils , 2009, Science.

[13]  J. Blakely,et al.  Equilibrium segregation of carbon to a nickel (111) surface: A surface phase transition , 1974 .

[14]  R. Paine,et al.  Borazine adsorption and decomposition at Pt(111) and Ru(001) surfaces , 1990 .

[15]  Jing Kong,et al.  Synthesis of few-layer hexagonal boron nitride thin film by chemical vapor deposition. , 2010, Nano letters.

[16]  Eun Sung Kim,et al.  POLY(ETHYLENE CO-VINYL ACETATE)-ASSISTED ONE-STEP TRANSFER OF ULTRA-LARGE GRAPHENE , 2011 .

[17]  S. Banerjee,et al.  Realization of a high mobility dual-gated graphene field-effect transistor with Al2O3 dielectric , 2009, 0901.2901.

[18]  Jin Zou,et al.  Boron nitride nanotubes: Pronounced resistance to oxidation , 2004 .

[19]  Jun Lou,et al.  Large scale growth and characterization of atomic hexagonal boron nitride layers. , 2010, Nano letters.

[20]  E. Pazhetnov,et al.  Carbon films grown on Pt(111) as supports for model gold catalysts , 2006 .

[21]  Takashi Taniguchi,et al.  Hunting for monolayer boron nitride: optical and Raman signatures. , 2011, Small.

[22]  Jing Kong,et al.  Role of kinetic factors in chemical vapor deposition synthesis of uniform large area graphene using copper catalyst. , 2010, Nano letters.

[23]  Jinyeong Lee,et al.  Large-scale synthesis of high-quality hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets for large-area graphene electronics. , 2012, Nano letters.

[24]  Jing Kong,et al.  Synthesis of monolayer hexagonal boron nitride on Cu foil using chemical vapor deposition. , 2012, Nano letters.

[25]  Takashi Taniguchi,et al.  Deep Ultraviolet Light‐Emitting Hexagonal Boron Nitride Synthesized at Atmospheric Pressure. , 2007 .

[26]  Kwang S. Kim,et al.  Roll-to-roll production of 30-inch graphene films for transparent electrodes. , 2010, Nature nanotechnology.

[27]  N. Gall’,et al.  Interaction of silver atoms with iridium and with a two-dimensional graphite film on iridium: Adsorption, desorption, and dissolution , 2004 .

[28]  J. S. Beck,et al.  Thermally induced borazine dehydropolymerization reactions. Synthesis and ceramic conversion reactions of a new high-yield polymeric precursor to boron nitride , 1990 .

[29]  R. Composto,et al.  Characterization of boron nitride thin films prepared from a polymer precursor , 1996 .

[30]  K. Schwarz,et al.  Bonding of hexagonal BN to transition metal surfaces: An ab initio density-functional theory study , 2008 .

[31]  A. Reina,et al.  Large area, few-layer graphene films on arbitrary substrates by chemical vapor deposition. , 2009, Nano letters.

[32]  K. Shepard,et al.  Boron nitride substrates for high-quality graphene electronics. , 2010, Nature nanotechnology.

[33]  J. S. Beck,et al.  Synthesis, Properties, and Ceramic Conversion Reactions of Polyborazylene. A High-Yield Polymeric Precursor to Boron Nitride , 1995 .

[34]  K. Shepard,et al.  Electronic compressibility of gapped bilayer graphene , 2010 .

[35]  J. Huang,et al.  HRTEM and EELS Studies on the Amorphization of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Induced by Ball Milling , 2004 .

[36]  N. Mårtensson,et al.  Monolayer of h-BN chemisorbed on Cu(111) and Ni(111): The role of the transition metal 3d states , 2005 .

[37]  J. Flege,et al.  Epitaxial graphene on ruthenium. , 2008, Nature materials.