Preparation of few-layer graphene-capped boron nanowires and their field emission properties**Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2013CB933604), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51572290), and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos. 1731300500015 and XDB07030100).

Abstract

Large-area boron nanowire (BNW) films were fabricated on the Si(111) substrate by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The average diameter of the BNWs is about 20 nm, with lengths of 5–10 μm. Then, graphene-capped boron nanowires (GC-BNWs) were obtained by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). Characterization by scanning electron microscopy indicates that few-layer graphene covers the surface of the boron nanowires. Field emission measurements of the BNWs and GC-BNW films show that the GC-BNW films have a lower turn-on electric field than the BNW films.