Postsynthesis of h‐BN/Graphene Heterostructures Inside a STEM |
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Authors: | Zheng Liu Luiz H. G. Tizei Yohei Sato Yung‐Chang Lin Chao‐Hui Yeh Po‐Wen Chiu Masami Terauchi Sumio Iijima Kazu Suenaga |
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Affiliation: | 1. Nanomaterials Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan;2. Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Université Paris‐Sud, Orsay, France;3. Division of Electron Crystallography and Spectroscopy, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan;4. Department of Electrical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan;5. Meijo University, Department of Materials Science and Engeering, Nagoya, Japan |
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Abstract: | Combinations of 2D materials with different physical properties can form heterostructures with modified electrical, mechanical, magnetic, and optical properties. The direct observation of a lateral heterostructure synthesis is reported by epitaxial in‐plane graphene growth from the step‐edge of hexagonal BN (h‐BN) within a scanning transmission electron microscope chamber. Residual hydrocarbon in the chamber is the carbon source. The growth interface between h‐BN and graphene is atomically identified as largely N–C bonds. This postgrowth method can form graphene nanoribbons connecting two h‐BN domains with different twisting angles, as well as isolated carbon islands with arbitrary shapes embedded in the h‐BN layer. The electronic properties of the vertically stacked h‐BN/graphene heterostructures are investigated by electron energy‐loss spectroscopy (EELS). Low‐loss EELS analysis of the dielectric response suggests a robust coupling effect between the graphene and h‐BN layers. |
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Keywords: | graphene EELS h‐BN heterostructures STEM |
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