Thickness and Rotational Effects in Simulated HRTEM Images of Graphene on Hexagonal Boron Nitride

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that when graphene is placed on a thin hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) substrate, unlike when it is placed on a typical SiO2 surface, it can closely approach the ideal carrier mobility observed in suspended graphene samples. This study further examines the epitaxial relationship between graphene and h-BN substrate with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy simulation. Virtual monolayer and multilayer stacks of h-BN were produced with a monolayer of graphene on top, on bottom, and in between h-BN layers, in order to study this interface. Once the simulations were performed, the phase contrast image and Moiré pattern created by this heterostack were analyzed for local and global intensity minima and maxima. In addition, h-BN substrate thickness and rotations between h-BN and graphene were probed and analyzed. The simulated images produced in this work will be used to help understand subsequent transmission electron microscopy images and electron energy-loss studies.

First-principles study of highly sensitive graphene/hexagonal boron nitride heterostructures for application in toxic gas-sensing devices

“…However, it is challenging to make graphene into nanoelectronic devices due to the mechanical instability of a freestanding graphene layer. Recent attempts 11–16 to assemble graphene layers on the top of silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) layers have been widely studied to significantly surmount the mechanical instability of pristine graphene and to enhance the electronic and optical properties of graphene. 9…”

“…However, it is challenging to make graphene into nanoelectronic devices due to the mechanical instability of a freestanding graphene layer. Recent attempts [11][12][13][14][15][16] to assemble graphene layers on the top of silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) layers have been widely studied to signicantly surmount the mechanical instability of pristine graphene and to enhance the electronic and optical properties of graphene. 9 In the eld of gas sensing, research has been devoted to expanding these 2D materials into van der Waals (vdW) 2D heterostructures to directly control the electronic structure of graphene-like materials, such as actively opening up the graphene band gaps.…”