Advance in novel boron nitride nanosheets to nanoelectronic device applications

We report low-temperature synthesis of large-scale boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) and their applications for high-performance Schottky diode and gas sensor. Ten minutes of synthesis with a short-pulse-laser-produced plasma deposition technique yields a large amount of highly flat, transparent BNNSs. A basic reason for using short-pulse plasma beams is to avoid nanosheet thermal ablation or have low heat generated. Consequently, it greatly reduces the stress and yield large, flat BNNSs. The average size of obtained BNNS is around 10 μm and thickness is around 1.7 nm. Carbon element has been used for doping BNNSs and achieving BNNSs-based Schottky diode and gas sensing device. Typical current versus voltage characteristics of diode are examined. The breakdown reverse voltage is around -70 V. This probably indicates that the breakdown electric field of BNNSs-based diode is up to 1 × 10(8) V/cm. Sensing behavior of BNNSs-based gas sensor toward methane diluted with dry air is also characterized. The response time and recovery time are around 3 and 5 s at the operating temperature of 150 °C. Relatively, the sensor has poor sensitivity to oxygen gas.