Fabrication, Characterization and Application of 2D Boron Nitride Nanosheets Prepared by Pulsed Laser Plasma Deposition

Abstract

Recently two-dimensional (2D) boron nitride nanosheet (BNNS) materials have attracted significant attentionbecause of their exceptional physical properties and potential applications. In this review, we highlight ourgroup's recent development of a magnetic field-assisted pulsed laser plasma deposition system for the fabrication and functionalization of boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs). This digitally-controlled pulse depositiontechnique enables us to synthesize highly transparent 2D nanosheet materials at a low substrate temperature, below 350°C. It provides a versatile tool for the low cost, quick synthesis of BN nanosheets on varioussubstrates with an excellent thickness control and reduced thermal stresses. The fundamental focus of ourcharacterization work is on the structure evolution when the nanosheet thickness is increased layer by layer,with an objective to obtain defect-free single-crystalline boron nitride nanosheets. We observed an increase ofthe spatial period of crystalline structures of the B3–N3 ring and the interlayer distance (layer-to-layer spacing) as boron nitride nanosheet thickness decreased. Furthermore, the BN crystal structure variation and theband gap width shift are investigated after 2D BN nanosheets are functionalized with hydrogen doping and theassociated electrical property changes. Finally, as an example of possible applications, we report the prototype development of BNNS-based deep UV detectors.