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This paper proposes a molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)/Germanium (Ge) heterojunction device with a top gate composed of hexagonal boron nitride and graphene. First, the rectification direction of the device is reversed, and the rectification ratio is modulated from 0.09 to 7.3 by varying the gate voltage from −20 to 20 V. Optoelectronic characterization reveals that the device photoresponsivity and speed can improve by several orders of magnitude when graphene is used as the MoS2 contact electrode. There is an ambipolar photoresponse behavior in which the photocurrent polarity can be reversed depending on the wavelength of light and gate voltage applied. A conventional positive responsivity of 13.9 A/W is obtained with a 532 nm visible light. In contrast, the device responsivity changes from 33.7 A/W to −128 mA/W as the gate voltage decreases when a 1550 nm infrared light is used. This ambipolar infrared photocurrent is attributed to the competition between the bolometric effect in MoS2 and photocarrier effect in Ge. In addition, because it has opposite photoresponses at different wavelengths, this device has the potential to be used as a wavelength-distinguishing photodetector. These results offer a strategy for the development of two- and three-dimensional optoelectronic heterostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the fabrication and characterization of a flash memory device based on a van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure comprising graphene (Gr), hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). The device exhibits versatile functionalities and demonstrates memtransistor-like behavior, making it a promising candidate for synaptic devices and neuromorphic computing. The Gr/h-BN/MoS2 heterostructure allows for the manipulation of charge concentration in the floating gate (FG) through control gate voltage (VBG), resulting in conductance switching. Moreover, the overlap structure of the FG and source-drain electrodes enables memtransistor-like operations, where the writing processes rely on the source-drain voltage (VDS). By varying carrier storage concentrations in the Gr-FG, multiple memory states can be achieved, offering analog information processing capabilities. In addition, the combination of dual-input functionality allows for the identification of a substantial on/off ratio even when utilizing a lower reading VDS, consequently strengthening the dependability of the memory state. Our work showcases the great potential of the Gr/h-BN/MoS2 heterostructure for advanced nanoelectronics, providing a platform for the development of computing architectures and neuromorphic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although graphene has excellent electrical and mechanical properties, the giant delocalized π-electron system makes it chemically inert. Here, we propose an idea to design two-dimensional (2D) carbon allotropes via incorporating multiple rings in sp2-hybridized carbon networks, which can break the π-bonding network and enhance the surface reactivity. By assembling molecule of cyclobut(a)acenaphthylene, we predict a monolayer 2D carbon material, named as R12-graphene, which is composed of quadrilateral, pentagonal, hexagonal, and dodecagonal carbon rings. It shows great stability in energetic, dynamic, thermodynamic, and mechanical aspects. It exhibits high-performance as an anode material for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs), including an intrinsic metallic behavior, a high theoretical capacity (632 mA h g−1), a low K diffusion barrier (0.33 eV), and a low average open-circuit voltage (0.5 V). The presence of electrolytes can provide better K ion adsorption and diffusion capability compared to that in vacuum. Furthermore, R12-graphene has excellent wettability toward some commonly used electrolytes, which is beneficial for improving the charge/discharge rate for PIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical modifications and/or simple vertical stacking of disparate van der Waals layered crystals can be used as a materials design approach for creating novel phases of matter. Here, using ab initio computations, we demonstrate the realization of an unusual state in a bismuth nanoribbon decorated with nitrogen atoms along one of the edges. In this phase, the quantum spin Hall state on one edge of the nanoribbon coexists with the ferromagnetism on the other edge. Such a coexistence is made possible by the short-range nature of the exchange interactions on the magnetic edge. As a result, the quantum spin Hall state on the opposite edge of the nanoribbon does not feel the local breaking of time-reversal symmetry on the magnetic edge. While the edge with quantum spin Hall state exhibits the typical spin-helical texture associated with the state, the magnetic edge displays ± k -asymmetry due to the interplay of Rashba and exchange effects. The latter is also a half-metal and can generate a fully spin-polarized current. We demonstrate that this coexistence of states is robust and that it is exhibited even when the nitrogen-decorated nanoribbon is placed on a substrate. In addition, with a proof-of-principle heterostructure, composed of an undecorated bismuth nanoribbon on hexagonal boron nitride, we show that this mixture of states can potentially exist even without passivation with nitrogen-atoms. In the heterostructure, an unequal relaxation along the two edges of the nanoribbon is found to be responsible for the coexistence of two states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of highly active earth-abundant electrocatalysts, which hold bifunctional oxygen reduction and evolution reactions simultaneously, is of great importance for inexpensive and high-performance electrochemical energy devices, yet still challenging. Here, we demonstrate that the inert hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) can accommodate single atomic 3d transition metal (TM) sites by co-doping of carbon atoms as high-performance bifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The TM atoms including Fe, Co, and Ni have been anchored with either four or two substituting carbon atoms forming TM–C4–BN and TM–C2N2–BN structures, in which the latter exhibits higher structural stability and stronger adsorption in response to the oxygen-containing intermediates such as OH*, O*, and OOH* in the reaction pathways. The optimal OER/ORR bifunctional catalyst is determined to be Co–C2N2–BN, showing ηOER of 0.42 V and ηORR of 0.26 V. Especially, its excellent ORR catalytic activity can be compared to that of well-known Pt(111) surface. It exhibits high thermodynamic stability and most favorable binding strength toward OER/ORR intermediates. The density functional theory calculations of the charge transfer and redistribution reveal the origin of the excellent catalytic activity in Co–C2N2–BN. This work provides a promising and feasible solution in searching for high-performance non-precious bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High mobility is a crucial requirement for a large variety of electronic device applications. The state of the art for high-quality graphene devices is based on heterostructures made with graphene encapsulated in > 40 nm-thick flakes of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). Unfortunately, scaling up multilayer hBN while precisely controlling the number of layers remains an outstanding challenge, resulting in a rough material unable to enhance the mobility of graphene. This leads to the pursuit of alternative, scalable materials, which can be used as substrates and encapsulants for graphene. Tungsten disulfide (WS2) is a transition metal dichalcogenide, which was grown in large (∼mm-size) multi-layers by chemical vapor deposition. However, the resistance vs gate voltage characteristics when gating graphene through WS2 exhibit largely hysteretic shifts of the charge neutrality point on the order of Δ n ∼ 3 × 1011 cm−2, hindering the use of WS2 as a reliable encapsulant. The hysteresis originates due to the charge traps from sulfur vacancies present in WS2. In this work, we report the use of WS2 as a substrate and overcome the hysteresis issues by chemically treating WS2 with a super-acid, which passivates these vacancies and strips the surface from contaminants. The hysteresis is significantly reduced by about two orders of magnitude, down to values as low as Δ n ∼ 2 × 109 cm−2, while the room-temperature mobility of WS2-encapsulated graphene is as high as ∼62 × 103 cm2 V−1 s−1 at a carrier density of n ∼ 1 × 10 12 cm−2. Our results promote WS2 as a valid alternative to hBN as an encapsulant for high-performance graphene devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexagonal boron nitride is shown to exhibit very significant persistent photoconductivity after UV illumination. This behavior can be initiated by sub-bandgap or close to bandgap illumination. Neither temperature nor pressure affects the buildup of photoinduced carriers. The effect persists at least for months at room temperature and is maintained significantly after heating up to 300 °C. Up to six orders of magnitude increased conductivity has been durably established in the devices, and the effect is reproducible. Double exponential fitting gives time constants up to 4600 days. Irradiation after having saturated the devices is shown to drastically reduce the decay rate. The bulk origin of such effect has been demonstrated. p-hBN/n-AlGaN diodes based on magnesium doped h-BN have been used to determine the type of conductivity through studies of junction capacitance variations under UV irradiation. Depending on illumination wavelength, both n- and p-type durable photoinduced carriers can be produced. These results are of interest for UVC LEDs in which the usual conductive AlGaN layers are still a hurdle toward efficient UV emitters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an application of cryo-CMOS technology for use in future quantum computing, we have explored low-frequency noise reduction in a two-dimensional (2D) system consisting of a molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) channel sandwiched by hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) layers. Due to the passivation effect of hBN layers, low-frequency noise in hBN/MoS2/hBN channel devices exhibited substantial reduction compared to the case of MoS2 channel directly on a silicon dioxide substrate and also silicon devices, suggesting that the clean interface of substrate and gate dielectric layers, as well as the protected surface of the MoS2 channel by hBN passivation from the damage by the fabrication process, contribute to the strong reduction in low-frequency noise. The results indicated that 2D materials are suitable for cryo-CMOS technology in terms of low-frequency noise since they will bring about mitigation of one of the most serious causes of quantum phase decoherence of qubits in future large-scale integrated quantum computers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the varied strain effects in AlGaN/GaN devices is crucial for realizing optimized flexible electronics systems and strain sensors. Here, we report on the effects of surface potential pinning, altered by the deposition of device-relevant SiNx passivation and Ni gate layers, on the strain-dependent carrier density, ns, of AlGaN/GaN two-dimensional electron gas structures. Flexible van der Pauw samples were made by separating AlGaN/GaN layers from the sapphire growth substrate using a two-dimensional boron nitride van der Waals release layer and transferring them to flexible substrates. For bare surface samples, we observed relatively large decreases in ns with tensile strain (Δns of −2 × 1011 cm−2 at 0.1% uniaxial strain), indicating an unpinned AlGaN surface potential. For the SiNx and Ni covered samples, the ns-strain trends were nearly flat, indicating a more pinned surface potential. Additionally, sub-bandgap 400 nm light is shown to effectively pin the surface potential as evidenced by flattening the ns-strain trend, the mechanism of which we explain in terms of the persistent photoconductivity effect. These observations could have important implications in tuning strain sensors and minimizing device variability in flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated electron doping of monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) on metallic substrates by doping alkali metals (AMs). The valence band maximum (VBM) of hBN/Rh after doping with Li and Cs was directly observed using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy in a wide wavenumber space. The valence band shift resulting from doping confirms the vacuum level alignment model. Furthermore, when the same AM is used, the resultant binding energy of VBM was almost identical regardless of the substrate, even if it differs by ∼ 1 eV before doping, which we found by comparison with the literature. This independence from the substrate is explained by an extension of the vacuum level alignment model, wherein the VBM is determined by the work function of the AM when it intercalates to the interface as well as adsorbs on surfaces of hBN. It means that the doping of Cs, which has the lowest work function, gives the deepest binding energy at VBM. This is evaluated as 5.7 eV in our experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this experimental study, we present a dual-layer structure of FePt-boron nitride (BN)/FePt-SiOx granular media for the heat-assisted magnetic recording. The boron nitride (BN) was deposited together with FePt at 700 °C for the first 2.5 nm in the initial film growth. After the initial growth, SiOx was used to replace the BN to serve as the grain boundary material for the rest of film growth process. The transmission electron microscopy study on the fully grown FePt-BN/FePt-SiOx film shows well-isolated FePt grains that are fully encircled by the well-defined grain boundaries. The areal density of FePt grains is distinctively higher than that of the conventional granular FePt-C-based film at similar film thickness. The FePt-BN/FePt-SiOx bilayer granular media also demonstrate excellent magnetic properties, which are comparable to that of FePt-C-SiOx granular media in terms of the hysteresis characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures employing graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) have emerged as a typical system for building emergent two-dimensional devices, such as atomically thin transistors or capacitors. Herein, we study the nonlinear thermal transport in such vdW heterostructure by non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that an obvious negative differential thermal resistance (NDTR) phenomenon can be observed under small temperature bias when the interlayer coupling becomes stronger. The vibrational spectra analysis manifests that the phonon filtering mechanism induced by interlayer coupling greatly hinders the interfacial thermal transport. To obtain the optimum conditions, the dependence of NDTR on the system length, lateral width, external temperature, and defect density is taken into account. Our findings extend the phonon filtering mechanism to thermal information processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene superlattices have recently been attracting growing interest as an emergent class of quantum metamaterials. In this paper, we report the observation of nonlocal transport in bilayer graphene (BLG) superlattices encapsulated between two hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) layers, which formed hBN/BLG/hBN moiré superlattices. We then employed these superlattices to detect a long-range charge-neutral valley current using an all-electrical method. The moiré superlattice with broken inversion symmetry leads to a "hot spot" at the charge-neutral point (CNP), and it harbors satellites of the CNP. We observed nonlocal resistance on the order of 1 kΩ, which obeys a scaling relation. This nonlocal resistance evolves from an analog of the quantum Hall effect but without magnetic field/time-reversal symmetry breaking, which is associated with a hot-spot-induced topological valley current. This study should pave the way for developing a Berry-phase-sensitive probe to detect hot spots in gapped Dirac materials with inversion-symmetry breaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We theoretically study the interference and propagation of phonon polaritons in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) in van der Waals heterostructures composed of hBN and twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) with different interlayer spacing in TBG. We show that varying the interlayer spacing and, hence, the interlayer coupling strength results in dramatic modifications of the local optical conductivity at the domain walls (DWs) in TBG, which leads to significant changes in the polariton interference profile near DWs. Moreover, our simulation reveals that the two-dimensional near-field interference pattern generated by polariton propagation in hBN/TBG heterostructures can be dramatically changed by interlayer spacing and the superlattice period. Our study demonstrates that combining interlayer spacing modification with moiré superlattices is a valuable route to control light at the nanoscale and design nanophotonic devices with tunable functionalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unique optoelectronic properties of single layer graphene (SLG) are ideal for the development of photonic devices across a broad range of frequencies from x rays to microwaves. In the terahertz (THz) frequency range (0.1–10 THz), this has led to the development of optical modulators, nonlinear sources, and photodetectors with state-of-the-art performances. A key challenge is the integration of SLG-based active elements with pre-existing technological platforms in a scalable way, while maintaining performance level unperturbed. Here, we report room temperature THz detectors made of large-area SLG, grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and integrated in antenna-coupled field effect transistors. We selectively activate the photo-thermoelectric detection dynamics, and we employ different dielectric configurations of SLG on Al2O3 with and without large-area CVD hexagonal boron nitride capping to investigate their effect on SLG thermoelectric properties underpinning photodetection. With these scalable architectures, response times ∼5 ns and noise equivalent powers (NEPs) ∼1 nW Hz−1/2 are achieved under zero-bias operation. This shows the feasibility of scalable, large-area, layered material heterostructures for THz detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) spectroscopy of bulk quantum materials have provided insight into phenomena, such as quantum phase criticality, magnetism, and superconductivity. With the emergence of nanoscale 2D materials with magnetic phenomena, inductively detected NMR and NQR spectroscopy are not sensitive enough to detect the smaller number of spins in nanomaterials. The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond has shown promise in bringing the analytic power of NMR and NQR spectroscopy to the nanoscale. However, due to depth-dependent formation efficiency of the defect centers, noise from surface spins, band bending effects, and the depth dependence of the nuclear magnetic field, there is ambiguity regarding the ideal NV depth for surface NMR of statistically polarized spins. In this work, we prepared a range of shallow NV ensemble layer depths and determined the ideal NV depth by performing NMR spectroscopy on statistically polarized 19F in Fomblin oil on the diamond surface. We found that the measurement time needed to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 using XY8-N noise spectroscopy has a minimum at an NV ensemble depth of 5.5 ± 1.5 nm for ensembles activated from 100 ppm nitrogen concentration. To demonstrate the sensing capabilities of NV ensembles, we perform NQR spectroscopy on the 11B of hexagonal boron nitride flakes. We compare our best diamond to previous work with a single NV and find that this ensemble provides a shorter measurement time with excitation diameters as small as 4 μm. This analysis provides ideal conditions for further experiments involving NMR/NQR spectroscopy of 2D materials with magnetic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the demonstration of growing two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal-AlN (h-AlN) on transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers (MoS2, WS2, and WSe2) via van der Waals epitaxy by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Having atomically thin thickness and high theoretical carrier mobility, TMDs are attractive semiconductors for future dense and high-performance 3D IC, and 2D hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) as a gate dielectric is known to significantly improve TMD device performance. However, h-BN growth requires 1000 °C temperature that is not compatible with CMOS fabrication, and ALD deposition of any high-k 2D insulator on TMD continues to be an elusive goal. The epitaxial 2D layered h-AlN by low-temperature ALD is characterized by synchrotron-based grazing-incidence wide-angle x-ray scattering and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. In addition, we demonstrate the feasibility of using layered h-AlN as an interfacial layer between WS2 and ALD HfO2. The significantly better uniformity and smoothness of HfO2 than that directly deposited on TMD are desirable characteristics for TMD transistor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs) in van der Waals (vdW) materials are of great interest in fundamental and applied research fields. Probing the characteristics of vdW SPhPs at cryogenic temperatures is an essential task for their implementation in low-temperature physics. However, the most commonly used characterization technique of vdW SPhPs—scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) operating in a tapping mode (an intermittent-contact mode)—can be problematic at low temperatures because the sample being tested may become brittle and fragile. Therefore, high fracture toughness is desired for the samples under intermittent-contact s-SNOM scanning at low temperatures. In this work, by taking α-phase molybdenum trioxide (α-MoO3) as an example, we first confirm the potential surface deterioration induced by tip-sample interactions at low temperatures. Then, we propose to use few-layer hexagonal boron nitride as a mechanically tough yet optically passive cladding layer to enhance the surface stability of α-MoO3. Finally, we demonstrate the validity of our surface reinforcement strategy by probing the previously unexplored temperature dependence of SPhPs within the third Reststrahlen band of α-MoO3. Our method allows a sustained operation of tapping mode s-SNOM at cryogenic temperatures with negligible effect on intrinsic properties of SPhPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing upon a collection of electron transport results, coupled with a variety of other material parameters, we set expectations on the upper limits to device performance of zinc blende boron-nitride-based electron devices. We examine how the device performance varies with the device length-scale, noting that a diversity of physical regimes are experienced as the device length-scale reduces from that corresponding to a long electron device, i.e., 100 μm, to the sub-micron level. Results corresponding to zinc blende boron nitride are contrasted with those associated with germanium, silicon, gallium arsenide, the 4H-phase of silicon carbide, wurtzite gallium nitride, and diamond. The electron device performance metrics that we focus upon for the purposes of this analysis include the effective mobility, accounting for the transition between the ballistic and the collision-dominated electron transport regimes, and the cutoff frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sample suspension is a valuable method to improve the mechanical, thermal, electronic, and optical properties of low-dimensional materials. In terms of confined light-matter waves—the polaritons, sample suspension can elongate the wavelength of polaritons with a positive phase velocity. Previous work demonstrates a wavelength elongation of ∼10% for hyperbolic phonon polaritons (HPPs) in uniaxial crystals of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). In this work, we report the alteration of HPPs in biaxial α-phase molybdenum trioxide (α-MoO3) by sample suspension. Our combined infrared nano-imaging experiments and electromagnetic theory reveal a wavelength elongation > 60% and a propagation length increase > 140%, due to the simultaneous wavelength elongation and dissipation elimination in the suspended specimen. We have also examined HPPs in α-MoO3 with a negative phase velocity. The sample suspension shortens the HPP wavelength and simultaneously reduces the dissipation due to the unique permittivity tensor. The HPPs with improved figures of merits in the suspended specimen may be developed for nano-polaritonic circuits, biochemical sensing, emission engineering, and energy transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black phosphorous (BP) is a well-known two-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) material with in-plane anisotropy and remarkable electronic and optical properties. Here, we comprehensively analyze the near-field radiative heat transfer (NFRHT) between a pair of parallel non-rotated BP flakes that occurs due to the tunneling of the coupled anisotropic surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) supported by the flakes. It is demonstrated that the covering of the BP flakes with hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) films leads to the hybridization of the BP's SPPs with the hBN's hyperbolic phonon polaritons and to the significant enhancement of the NFRHT at the hBN's epsilon-near-zero frequencies. It is also shown that the NFRHT in the BP/hBN parallel-plate structure can be actively switched between the ON and OFF states by changing the chemical potential of the BPs and that the NFRHT can be modified by altering the number of the BP layers. Finally, we replace hBN with α-MoO3 and explore how the NFRHT is spectrally and strongly modified in the BP/α-MoO3 parallel-plate structure. We believe that the proposed BP/polar-vdW-material parallel-plate structures can prove useful in the thermal management of optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep-ultraviolet (DUV) photodetectors based on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) have demonstrated great potentials for various commercial and military applications; however, to date, most studies show that the h-BN photodetectors suffer from poor performance, such as low responsivity and large dark current. Herein, we report the dramatic enhancement of photoresponse in the DUV region of a h-BN device coupled with plasmonic nanostructures of either h-BN nanosheets (BNNSs) or Au nanoparticles (NPs). Large-area h-BN thin films that have been directly grown on quartz substrates using the ion beam assistant deposition method exhibit a uniform thickness of ∼200 nm, an ultrawide bandgap (∼ 6 eV), and an excellent light transparency in the visible region. Based on the vertical charge transfer integrated with plasmonic nanoarrays, the photocurrent of the h-BN device can be greatly enhanced by up to about 7–9 times under the illumination of 205 nm by showing a cutoff wavelength at ∼220 nm. Owing to the retained low dark current and large photo-gain induced by localized plasmonic resonances, this hybrid photodetector exhibits 32- and 57-fold improvement in responsivity at a 205 nm wavelength by BNNSs and Au NPs, respectively. This work demonstrates plasmonic enhancement on optoelectronic properties of h-BN based on not only metallic but also semiconducting nanostructures and provides alternative pathways for the development of low-cost, large-area, high-performance, DUV photodetectors for various optoelectronic devices and security applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate twist-controlled resonant tunneling in a monolayer graphene (MLG)/hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN)/ABA-stacked trilayer graphene (TLG) van der Waals (vdW) junction, in which MLG and TLG flakes are aligned with a small twist angle θ of ∼1.05° between their crystallographic orientations through a thin h-BN barrier. Owing to the small interlayer twist, resonant tunneling attributed to the conservation of momentum and energy was observed between the single linear band of MLG and multiple subbands of TLG. We show that different subbands of TLG—bilayer-graphene-like subbands and a MLG-like subband—exhibit distinctly different resonant tunneling behaviors. Therefore, we demonstrate subband-resolved resonant tunneling. This technique provides a method to determine band parameters (Slonczewski–Weiss–McClure parameters) and probes the band dispersion of different two-dimensional materials by utilizing a MLG electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin films grown on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) flakes show three orders of magnitude resistance change due to metal–insulator transition (MIT). The MIT property of VO2 thin films is strongly dependent on the metallic domain size, which should be identified to derive the resistance change owing to the single metallic domain. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the metallic domain size and the device-size-dependent MIT property of VO2 thin films grown on hBN. We observed by temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy and optical microscopy the emergence of the metallic domains and determined the metallic domain size in VO2 thin films grown on hBN. The metallic domain size of the VO2 thin films grown on hBN was determined to be ∼500 nm on average in length and up to sub-micrometer scale. Electric transport measurements revealed that VO2/hBN microwires exhibit multi-level step-like resistivity changes that change by one to two orders when the length and width are ∼2 μm owing to the confined metallic domains in the micrometer scale. Our results open a way for VO2 devices, showing a steep and large resistance change even in the micrometer scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron nitride (BN) layers with sp2 bonding have been grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition on AlN underlayers, which are deposited on c-plane sapphire substrates. Two different boron precursors were employed—trimethylboron and triethylboron—while ammonia was used as the nitrogen precursor. The BN obtained epitaxial BN films contain ordered rhombohedral (rBN) and partially ordered turbostratic (tBN) stackings as evidenced by x-ray diffraction analysis. We discriminatively identify the PL signatures of the rBN and tBN from those typical of the hexagonal (hBN) and Bernal stackings (bBN). The optical signature of tBN appears at 5.45 eV, and it intercalates between the two recombination bands typical of rBN at 5.35 eV (strong intensity) and 5.55 eV(weaker intensity). The analogs of the high intensity band at 5.35 eV in rBN sit at 5.47 eV for hBN and at 5.54 eV for bBN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on graphene/hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) heterostructures has attracted much attention for band engineering and device performance optimization of graphene. However, the growth of graphene/h-BN heterostructure is still challenging, which usually requires high growth temperature and long growth duration. In this paper, we demonstrate graphene/h-BN heterostructures by growing graphene onto the substrates which consist of exfoliated h-BN flakes on Co thin films using molecular beam epitaxy. The heterostructure samples grown at different temperatures and growth times were characterized by Raman, optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, microwave impedance microscopy, and scanning tunneling microscopy. It is found that the graphene/h-BN heterostructures were formed by the formation of graphene underneath rather than on top of the h-BN flakes. The growth mechanism is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the device processing and characterization of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) based solid-state thermal neutron detectors, where hBN thickness varied from 2.5 to 15 μm. These natural hBN epilayers (with 19.9% 10B) were grown by a low pressure chemical vapor deposition process. Complete dry processing was adopted for the fabrication of these metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) configuration detectors. These detectors showed intrinsic thermal neutron detection efficiency values of 0.86%, 2.4%, 3.15%, and 4.71% for natural hBN thickness values of 2.5, 7.5, 10, and 15 μm, respectively. Measured efficiencies are very close (≤92%) to the theoretical maximum efficiencies for corresponding hBN thickness values for these detectors. This clearly shows the hBN thickness scalability of these detectors. A 15 μm thick hBN based MSM detector is expected to yield an efficiency of 21.4% if enriched hBN (with ~100% 10B) is used instead of natural hBN. These results demonstrate that the fabrication of hBN thickness scalable highly efficient thermal neutron detectors is possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cubic boron nitride is an ultrawide-bandgap semiconductor with potential applications in high-power electronics, ultraviolet optoelectronics, and quantum information science. Many of those applications are predicated on the ability to control doping. Using hybrid-functional first-principles calculations, we systematically explore potential donors including group-IV (C, Si, and Ge) and group-VI (O, S, and Se) elements, as well as Li and F. We also address the role of compensation either by substitution on the wrong site or due to native point defects. We identify SiB and ON as promising dopants, as they have the lowest formation energies and do not suffer from self-compensation. However, compensation by boron vacancies, which act as deep acceptors, poses a challenge. We discuss strategies to mitigate these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we fabricated quantum point contacts narrower than 100 nm by using an electrostatic potential to open the finite bandgap by applying a perpendicular electric field to bilayer graphene encapsulated between hexagonal boron nitride sheets. The conductance across the quantum point contact was quantized at a high perpendicular-displacement field as high as 1 V/nm at low temperature, and the quantization unit was 2e2/h instead of mixed spin and valley degeneracy of 4e2/h. This lifted degeneracy state in the quantum point contact indicates the presence of valley polarized state coming from potential profile or effective displacement field in one-dimensional channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), a prevalent insulating crystal for dielectric and encapsulation layers in two-dimensional (2D) nanoelectronics and a structural material in 2D nanoelectromechanical systems, has also rapidly emerged as a promising platform for quantum photonics with the recent discovery of optically active defect centers and associated spin states. Combined with measured emission characteristics, here we propose and numerically investigate the cavity quantum electrodynamics scheme, incorporating these defect-enabled single photon emitters (SPEs) in h-BN microdisk resonators. The whispering-gallery nature of microdisks can support multiple families of cavity resonances with different radial and azimuthal mode indices simultaneously, overcoming the challenges in coinciding a single point defect with the maximum electric field of an optical mode both spatially and spectrally. The excellent characteristics of h-BN SPEs, including exceptional emission rate, considerably high Debye–Waller factor, and Fourier transform limited linewidth at room temperature, render strong coupling with the ratio of coupling to decay rates g/max(γ, κ) predicated as high as 500. This study not only provides insight into the emitter–cavity interaction, but also contributes toward realizing h-BN photonic components, such as low-threshold microcavity lasers and high-purity single photon sources, critical for linear optics quantum computing and quantum networking applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for an ideal single-photon source has generated significant interest in discovering emitters in materials as well as developing new manipulation techniques to gain better control over the emitters' properties. Quantum emitters in atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) materials have proven to be very attractive with high brightness, operation under ambient conditions, and the ability to be integrated with a wide range of electronic and photonic platforms. This Perspective highlights some of the recent advances in quantum light generation from 2D materials, focusing on hexagonal boron nitride and transition metal dichalcogenides. Efforts in engineering and deterministically creating arrays of quantum emitters in 2D materials, their electrical excitation, and their integration with photonic devices are discussed. Finally, we address some of the challenges the field is facing and the near-term efforts to tackle them. We provide an outlook toward efficient and scalable quantum light generation from 2D materials to controllable and addressable on-chip quantum sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene nanostructures are potential building blocks for nanoelectronic and spintronic devices. However, the production of monolayer graphene nanostructures with well-defined zigzag edges remains a challenge. In this paper, we report the patterning of monolayer graphene nanostructures with zigzag edges on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) substrates by an anisotropic etching technique. We found that hydrogen plasma etching of monolayer graphene on h-BN is highly anisotropic due to the inert and ultra-flat nature of the h-BN surface, resulting in zigzag edge formation. The as-fabricated zigzag-edged monolayer graphene nanoribbons (Z-GNRs) with widths below 30 nm show high carrier mobility and width-dependent energy gaps at liquid helium temperature. These high quality Z-GNRs are thus ideal structures for exploring their valleytronic or spintronic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we use nonequilibrium molecular dynamics modeling to investigate the thermal properties of monolayer hexagonal boron nitride nanoribbons under uniaxial strain along their longitudinal axis. Our simulations predict that hexagonal boron nitride shows an anomalous thermal response to the applied uniaxial strain. Contrary to three dimensional materials, under uniaxial stretching, the thermal conductivity of boron nitride nanoribbons first increases rather than decreasing until it reaches its peak value and then starts decreasing. Under compressive strain, the thermal conductivity of monolayer boron nitride ribbons monolithically reduces rather than increasing. We use phonon spectrum and dispersion curves to investigate the mechanism responsible for the unexpected behavior. Our molecular dynamics modeling and density functional theory results show that application of longitudinal tensile strain leads to the reduction of the group velocities of longitudinal and transverse acoustic modes. Such a phonon softening mechanism acts to reduce the thermal conductivity of the nanoribbons. On the other hand, a significant increase in the group velocity (stiffening) of the flexural acoustic modes is observed, which counteracts the phonon softening effects of the longitudinal and transverse modes. The total thermal conductivity of the ribbons is a result of competition between these two mechanisms. At low tensile strain, the stiffening mechanism overcomes the softening mechanism which leads to an increase in the thermal conductivity. At higher tensile strain, the softening mechanism supersedes the stiffening and the thermal conductivity slightly reduces. Our simulations show that the decrease in the thermal conductivity under compressive strain is attributed to the formation of buckling defects which reduces the phonon mean free path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AlGaN/GaN metal–insulator–semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MISHEMTs) were fabricated on Si substrates with a 10 nm boron nitride (BN) layer as a gate dielectric deposited by electron cyclotron resonance microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. The material characterization of the BN/GaN interface was investigated by X-ray photoelectric spectroscopy (XPS) and UV photoelectron spectroscopy. The BN bandgap from the B1s XPS energy loss is ∼5 eV consistent with sp2 bonding. The MISHEMTs exhibit a low off-state current of 1 × 10−8 mA/mm, a high on/off current ratio of 109, a threshold voltage of −2.76 V, a maximum transconductance of 32 mS/mm at a gate voltage of −2.1 V and a drain voltage of 1 V, a subthreshold swing of 69.1 mV/dec, and an on-resistance of 12.75 Ω·mm. The interface state density (Dit) is estimated to be less than 8.49 × 1011 cm−2 eV−1. Gate leakage current mechanisms were investigated by temperature-dependent current–voltage measurements from 300 K to 500 K. The maximum breakdown electric field is no less than 8.4 MV/cm. Poole–Frenkel emission and Fowler–Nordheim tunneling are indicated as the dominant mechanisms of the gate leakage through the BN gate dielectric at low and high electric fields, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imaging of optical phenomena at the sub-nanometer scale can offer fundamental insights into the electronic or vibrational states in atomic-scale defects, molecules, and nanoparticles, which are important in quantum information, heterogeneous catalysis, optoelectronics, and structural biology. Several techniques have surpassed the traditional Abbe diffraction limit and attained spatial resolutions down to a few nanometers, but sub-nanometer scale optics has remained elusive. Here, we propose an approach that combines spectrally specific photoabsorption with sub-nanometer scale resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of photoexcited electrons. We first estimate the signal level and conditions required for imaging nanoscale optical phenomena in core-shell quantum dots (QDs) like CdS/CdTe. Furthermore, we show the possibility of imaging photoexcited states of atomic-scale defects in a monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) using ab initio and high resolution (HR)TEM simulations. The ability to directly visualize photoexcited states at the sub-nanometer scale opens opportunities to study properties of individual quantum dots and atomic defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a first-principles study of the structural and electronic properties of two-dimensional (2D) layer/hydrogen-terminated diamond (100) heterostructures. Both the 2D layers exhibit weak van-der-Waals (vdW) interactions and develop rippled configurations with the H-diamond (100) substrate to compensate for the induced strain. The adhesion energy of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) layer is slightly higher, and it exhibits a higher degree of rippling compared to the graphene layer. A charge transfer analysis reveals a small amount of charge transfer from the H-diamond (100) surface to the 2D layers, and most of the transferred charge was found to be confined within the vdW gap. In the graphene/H-diamond (100) heterostructure, the semi-metallic characteristic of the graphene layer is preserved. On the other hand, the hBN/H-diamond (100) heterostructure shows semiconducting characteristics with an indirect bandgap of 3.55 eV, where the hBN layer forms a Type-II band alignment with the H-diamond (100) surface. The resultant conduction band offset and valence band offset are 0.10 eV and 1.38 eV, respectively. A thin layer of hBN offers a defect-free interface with the H-diamond (100) surface and provides a layer-dependent tunability of electronic properties and band alignment for surface-doped diamond field effect transistors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) has attracted widespread attention for its unique one-dimensional atomic structure and outstanding physical and chemical properties. For both fundamental research and practical applications, it is critical to figure out the chirality of SWNT because the electronic band structure and the consequent electrical and optical properties are determined by its chirality. Here, we found that the chirality of SWNT on an insulating hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) substrate can be obtained in a quick and concise manner through measuring the aligning direction and the diameter of SWNT. Additionally, Rayleigh scattering spectroscopy is conducted to confirm the obtained chirality. The developed technique for direct detection of chirality of SWNT on an insulating h-BN substrate could advance the study of chirality-dependent functional SWNT devices and the applications of SWNT related to chirality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a low-energy path to enhance the incorporation of Mg on the VB site in monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) by an N-rich condition for effective p-type conductivity. Density functional theory calculations reveal that VB and MgB both behave as a shallow acceptor for p-type conduction of h-BN. The N-rich condition is found to promote the formation of VB as a low-barrier site for MgB incorporation. Experimentally, Mg p-type doping is achieved in a h-BN monolayer under N2 (or NH3) gas flow through a chemical vapor deposition method. The surface current of Mg-doped h-BN has been enhanced by three times up to 32 μA under a 8 V external voltage. This approach provides excellent p-type conductivity in monolayer h-BN for future applications in two-dimensional optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A process based on microplasmas generated in Ar/N2 mixtures for nanomaterial synthesis is described in this Letter. The targeted material is hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) that is in high demand for electronic and optoelectronic applications. The synthesis of high crystalline quality h-BN films over large areas still remains a challenge. In this study, a nanosecond pulsed high voltage is applied between two electrodes separated by a dielectric layer, with the whole system being drilled by a 400 μm diameter hole (micro hollow cathode structure). This geometry allows for an efficient dissociation of N2 gas, a particularly important asset for the synthesis of nitride materials, which normally requires very high deposition temperatures (∼1300 °C). In this work, we report the growth of h-BN on 2-in. silicon substrates at temperatures below 1000 °C, with a growth rate of about 30 nm/h, using this approach. The deposited films are characterized by Raman and electron energy loss spectroscopies and transmission electron microscopy to evaluate the phase purity, the quality, the surface morphology, and the crystallinity of the material. The films exhibit a stoichiometry very close to 1 with a crystalline domain size of about 3 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfaces between two topological insulators are of fundamental interest in condensed matter physics. Inspired by experimental efforts, we study interfacial processes between two slabs of BiSbTeSe 2 (BSTS) via first principles calculations. Topological surface states are absent for the BSTS interface in its equilibrium separation, but our calculations show that they appear if the inter-slab distance is greater than 6 Å. More importantly, we find that topological interface states can be preserved by inserting two or more layers of hexagonal boron nitride between the two BSTS slabs. In experiments, the electric current tunneling through the interface is insensitive to back gate voltage when the bias voltage is small. Using a first-principles based method that allows us to simulate the gate field, we show that at low bias, the extra charge induced by a gate voltage resides on the surface that is closest to the gate electrode, leaving the interface almost undoped. This provides clues to understand the origin of the observed insensitivity of transport properties to back voltage at low bias. Our study resolves a few questions raised in experiment, which does not yet offer a clear correlation between microscopic physics and transport data. We provide a road map for the design of vertical tunneling junctions involving the interface between two topological insulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation effects on graphene field effect transistors (GFETs) with hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) thin film substrates are investigated using 60Co gamma-ray radiation. This study examines the radiation response using many samples with varying h-BN film thicknesses (1.6 and 20 nm thickness) and graphene channel lengths (5 and 10 μm). These samples were exposed to a total ionizing dose of approximately 1 Mrad(Si). I-V measurements were taken at fixed time intervals between irradiations and postirradiation. Dirac point voltage and current are extracted from the I-V measurements, as well as mobility, Dirac voltage hysteresis, and the total number of GFETs that remain properly operational. The results show a decrease in Dirac voltage during irradiation, with a rise of this voltage and permanent drop in Dirac current postirradiation. 1.6 nm h-BN substrate GFETs show an increase in mobility during irradiation, which drops back to preirradiation conditions in postirradiation measurements. Hysteretic changes to the Dirac voltage are the strongest during irradiation for the 20 nm thick h-BN substrate GFETs and after irradiation for the 1.6 nm thick h-BN GFETs. Failure rates were similar for most GFET types during irradiation; however, after irradiation, GFETs with 20 nm h-BN substrates experienced substantially more failures compared to 1.6 nm h-BN substrate GFETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple points and nexus points are two interesting topological phases, which have been reported in some three-dimensional materials. Here, we propose that triple points, nexus points, and related phases, such as topological tangle nodal lines, can be obtained by alternatively stacking two types of monolayers. Two conditions for the stacking monolayers are required: the first condition is that they have a threefold (C3) rotation symmetry and three mirror planes along the C3 axis; the second condition is that one of the monolayers should be insulating while the other one should be metallic (or semiconducting) and has a double degenerate band and a nondegenerate band at the Γ point around the Fermi level. Hexagonal boron nitride (HBN) and α / α ′ -boron sheets are suggested as candidate materials. Even if HBN is a wide-gap insulator, the interactions between layers lead to crossings of the nondegenerate and double degenerate bands along the direction normal to the nanosheets and thus form triple/nexus points or related phases. A tight-binding model is adopted to explain the phase transition between triple points, nexus points, and other related phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the thermal-induced mechanical deformations in mono- and few-layer hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) on flat silicon dioxide substrates by using atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy techniques. The measurements reveal that the deformation of thin BNNS follows the reversible expansion/contraction of the substrate at relatively low temperatures. Irreversible deformations in BNNS are observed at elevated temperatures, which are attributed to interfacial sliding on the BNNS-substrate interface that is caused by the temperature-dependent thermal expansion mismatch of BN and substrate materials. Monolayer BNNS is found to possess the highest onset temperature of irreversible straining, which decreases with an increase in the BNNS thickness. The interfacial load transfer characteristics of the BNNS-substrate interface are quantitatively investigated using a micromechanics model. The analysis reveals that monolayer BNNS possesses a maximum interfacial shear strength of about 28.38 MPa on its binding interface with substrates at about 525 °C. The findings are useful to better understand the fundamental structural and mechanical properties of BNNS and in pursuit of its applications, in particular, those involved with high temperature processing and/or working environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene encapsulated between flakes of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) demonstrates the highest known mobility of charge carriers. However, the technology is not scalable to allow for arrays of devices. We are testing a potentially scalable technology for encapsulating graphene where we replace hBN with Parylene while still being able to make low-ohmic edge contacts. The resulting encapsulated devices show low parasitic doping and a robust Quantum Hall effect in relatively low magnetic fields <5 T. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two dimensional materials like graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides, and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) have attracted a keen interest over the past few years due to their possible integration in the next generation of nano-components. Here, we used high resolution X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) to perform a complete study of stacking configuration and identify sp3 crystal deformations of a single domain h-BN crystal. The AA' stacking was found to best reproduce features in the experimental B and N K-edges. The NEXAFS also shows that the splitting of the 1s to π* peak in the B K-edge, recently predicted by density functional theory, may be accounted for by the presence of AB' stacking faults. The presence of this stacking fault has, as a result, the introduction of point defects in the crystal such as boron atoms in a pyramidal or sp3 configuration. Interstitial nitrogen defects are also present in the crystal forming a N-N pair as expected for a p-type h-BN crystal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monolayer niobium diselenide (NbSe2) is prepared through molecular beam epitaxy with hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) as substrates. Atomic force microscopy and the Raman spectroscopy have shown that the monolayer NbSe2 grown on the hBN possesses triangular or truncated triangular shape whose lateral size amounts up to several hundreds of nanometers. We have found that the precisely controlled supply rate and ultraflat surface of hBN plays an important role in the growth of the monolayer NbSe2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) growth was carried out on (111) Si substrates at a temperature of 1350 °C using a cold wall chemical vapor deposition system. The hBN phase of the deposited films was identified by the characteristic Raman peak at 1370 cm-1 with a full width at half maximum of 25 cm-1, corresponding to the in-plane stretch of B and N atoms. Chemical bonding states and composition of the hBN films were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; the extracted B/ N ratio was 1.03:1, which is 1:1 within the experimental error. The fabricated metal-hBN-metal devices demonstrate a strong deep UV (DUV) response. Further, the hBN growth on the vertical (111) surfaces of parallel trenches fabricated in (110) Si was explored to achieve a thermal neutron detector. These results demonstrate that hBN-based detectors represent a promising approach towards the development of DUV photodetectors and efficient solid-state thermal neutron detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene/hexagonal boron nitride (G/h-BN) heterostructures have attracted a great deal of attention because of their exceptional properties and wide variety of potential applications in nanoelectronics. However, direct growth of large-area, high-quality, and stacked structures in a controllable and scalable way remains challenging. In this work, we demonstrate the synthesis of h-BN/graphene (h-BN/G) heterostructures on cobalt (Co) foil by sequential deposition of graphene and h-BN layers using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. It is found that the coverage of h-BN layers can be readily controlled on the epitaxial graphene by growth time. Large-area, uniform-quality, and multi-layer h-BN films on thin graphite layers were achieved. Based on an h-BN (5-6 nm)/G (26-27 nm) heterostructure, capacitor devices with Co(foil)/G/h-BN/Co(contact) configuration were fabricated to evaluate the dielectric properties of h-BN. The measured breakdown electric field showed a high value of ~2.5-3.2 MV/cm. Both I-V and C-V characteristics indicate that the epitaxial h-BN film has good insulating characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use nonequilibrium molecular dynamics modeling using Stillinger-Weber interatomic potential to investigate the thermal properties of monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanoribbons. We study the impact of factors such as length, edge chirality, monovacancies, and uniaxial stretching on the thermal conductivity of MoS2 nanoribbons. Our results show that longer ribbons have a higher thermal conductivity, and the thermal conductivity of infinitely long zigzag and armchair MoS2 nanoribbons is, respectively, 54W/mK and 33W/mK. This is significantly lower than the thermal conductivity of some other graphene-like two-dimensional materials such as graphene and boron nitride. While the presence of molybdenum or sulfur vacancies reduces the thermal conductivity of ribbons, molybdenum vacancies have a more deteriorating effect on thermal conductivities. We also have studied the impact of uniaxial stretching on the thermal conductivity of MoS2 nanoribbons. The results show that in contrast to three dimensional materials, thermal conductivity of MoS2 is fairly insensitive to stretching. We have used the phonon dispersion curves and group velocities to investigate the mechanism of this unexpected behavior. Our results show that tensile strain does not alter the phonon dispersion curves and hence the thermal conductivity does not change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial and spectral characteristics of mid-infrared thermal emission from devices containing a large area multilayer graphene layer, encapsulated using hexagonal boron nitride, have been investigated. The devices were run continuously in air for over 1000 h, with the emission spectrum covering the absorption bands of many important gases. An approximate solution to the heat equation was used to simulate the measured emission profile across the devices yielding an estimated value of the characteristic length, which defines the exponential rise/fall of the temperature profile across the device, of 40 μm. This is much larger than values obtained in smaller exfoliated graphene devices and reflects the device geometry, and the increase in lateral heat conduction within the devices due to the multilayer graphene and boron nitride layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]