Atomic layer deposition of h-BN(0001) on RuO2(110)/Ru(0001)

Abstract

The direct epitaxial growth of multilayer BN by atomic layer deposition is of critical significance for two dimensional device applications. To date, however, epitaxial growth has only been reported on graphene or on transition metal surfaces. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED) demonstrate layer-by-layer BN epitaxy on a monolayer of RuO2(110) formed on a Ru(0001) substrate. Growth was accomplished with BCl3/NH3 cycles at 600 K substrate temperature and subsequent annealing in ultrahigh vacuum. This yielded stoichiometric BN layers, Cl impurities levels of ≲1 at. %, and an average BN film thickness linearly proportional to the number of BCl3/NH3 cycles. XPS data indicate negligible charge transfer or band bending for the BN/RuO2 interface. LEED data indicate a 30° rotation between the coincident BN and oxide lattices. The atomic layer epitaxy of BN on an oxide surface suggests new routes to the direct growth and integration of graphene and BN with industrially important substrates, including Si(100).