I-Corps: Hexagonal Boron Nitride for Electronic Devices

六方氮化硼单晶的进一步发展潜力将被探索。hBN的单晶是潜在的变革性材料，因为它们作为石墨烯衬底、中子探测器和UV-LED半导体的独特性质和应用。hBN的一些独特性质包括其发射深紫外光的能力（低至215 nm），其大的热中子俘获截面（由于热中子（~25 meV）和20%天然存在的硼-10同位素之间的强烈相互作用），以及类似于石墨烯的晶体结构（包括已知最小的晶格失配，仅为+1.7%），使其成为石墨烯的优良基底。然而，利用这些性质的电子和光电器件应用受到小尺寸、差的晶体质量和高杂质含量的市售hBN的阻碍。在该项目中生产的hBN单晶可以开发利用其特性的新型设备，包括深紫外发射器（用于非热灭菌和水净化），固态中子探测器（用于国土安全，第一响应者和条约验证），以及作为石墨烯集成电子器件和传感器的优良电绝缘衬底。该项目将探索这些hBN单晶所提供的广泛用途和实际应用机会，目标是大规模制造晶体。

The potential for further development of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) single crystals will be explored. Single crystals of hBN are potentially transformative materials because of their unique properties and applications as a graphene substrate, a neutron detector, and as UV-LED semiconductors. Some of the unique properties of hBN include its ability to emit deep-UV light (as low as 215 nm), its large thermal neutron capture cross section (due to the strong interaction between thermal neutrons (~25 meV) and the 20% naturally occurring boron-10 isotope), and a crystal structure that is similar to graphene (including the smallest known lattice mismatch of only +1.7%), making it an excellent substrate for graphene. However, electronic and optoelectronic device applications exploiting these properties have been hampered by the small size, poor crystal quality, and high impurity content commercially available hBN. The hBN single crystals produced in this project could enable the development of new types of devices exploiting its properties including deep-UV emitters (for non-thermal sterilization and water purification), solid state neutron detectors (for homeland security, first responders, and treaty verification), and as an excellent electrically insulating substrate for grapheme integrated electronics and sensors. This project will explore the widespread use and practical application opportunities afforded by these hBN single crystals with the goal of manufacturing the crystals on a large scale.