Toward non-gas-permeable hBN film growth on smooth Fe surface

Hayoung Ko, Soo Ho Choi, Jungmo Kim, Yong In Kim, Young Hoon Kim, Laud Anim Adofo, Min Hyoung Jung, Young Min Kim, Mun Seok Jeong, Ki Kang Kim, Soo Min Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Flexible, transparent, and thermally stable gas barrier films are required to seal organic-based ultra-thin, flexible, and transparent electronic devices against moisture. Thermally stable, two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is an ideal non-gas-permeable material with high transparency and flexibility. Nevertheless, the polycrystalline multilayer hBN (m-hBN) grown on a rough Fe foil by chemical vapor deposition is not sufficient for use as a gas barrier due to the non-uniformity and discontinuity of the film. Here, we report a novel method for synthesizing highly uniform and continuous m-hBN films on smooth Fe foil on a wafer scale via deposition of an amorphous Fe layer on a rough Fe foil. The amorphous Fe layer on a unary Fe foil is effectively recrystallized to become a smooth surface via post-thermal annealing treatment at 1100 °C. The smoothed surface allows for the uniform precipitation of B and N atoms to form a highly continuous m-hBN film, as confirmed by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. m-hBN/graphene heterostructure on polyethylene terephthalate further demonstrates the significant improvement of gas barrier performance; a water vapor transmission rate of 0.01 g m-2 day is achieved, which is seven times lower than the previously reported value, while retaining a high transparency of 96.4% at a wavelength of 550 nm.

Original languageEnglish
Article number034003
Journal2D Materials
Volume8
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Chemical vapor deposition
  • Fe deposition
  • Fe foil
  • Grain growth
  • Hexagonal boron nitride
  • Smooth surface
  • Water vapor transmission rate

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