Atomic Bonding and Chemical Identification of Hexagonal Boron Nitride-Graphene Interface

Interface structure and atomic bonding characteristics in heterostructures dominate many intriguing physical properties. Here we studied the interfacial structure of in-plane h-BNC hybrid monolayer in atomic scale using combined scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and noncontact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM).^[1,2] The atomic resolved images reveal seamless boundaries for both boron and nitrogen atoms terminated zigzag edges, showing an immiscible connection at the atomic level. The boron, nitrogen and carbon atoms were exactly distinguished by the site-specific force spectroscopy. First-principles calculations further reveal the different growth behaviors and the selective formation of different interface configurations at the two kinds of nucleation center of graphene. The bonding and structure information of the interfacewould facilitate the understanding of the atomic process of films growth and the interplay of geometry and electronic properties.
1. Qiucheng Li, ^# Mengxi Liu, ^# et al. Small, 2016, 12, 32-50.
2. Mengxi Liu,^# Yuanchang Li, ^# et al. Nano Lett. 2014, 14, 6342−6347.