High-energy proton irradiation damage on two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Solid State Physics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Dielectric layers are crucial in electronic devices but susceptible to performance-limiting defects.
• Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nano-layers offer excellent electronic and thermal properties, making them promising dielectric materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of high-energy proton irradiation on the dielectric properties of 2D h-BN nano-layers.
• To understand the defect-induced degradation mechanisms in h-BN.

Main Methods:

• Exposure of h-BN dielectric layers to high-energy protons at varying energies and doses.
• Characterization of dielectric breakdown fields and leakage currents.
• Molecular dynamics simulations to identify defect types.

Main Results:

• Proton irradiation significantly reduced the hard breakdown field of h-BN capacitors.
• Higher proton doses led to increased leakage currents and lower breakdown fields.
• Degradation patterns in irradiated h-BN resemble those of defective silicon dioxide.

Conclusions:

• Frenkel defects, created by proton irradiation, are identified as the cause of h-BN dielectric degradation.
• Understanding these defect mechanisms is crucial for enhancing h-BN reliability.
• This research supports the use of 2D h-BN in advanced micro- and nano-electronics.