Cleaning of pyrolytic hexagonal boron nitride surfaces

Hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) has recently garnered significant interest as a substrate and dielectric for two‐dimensional materials and devices based on graphene or transition metal dichalcogenides such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). As substrate surface impurities and defects can negatively impact the structure and properties of two‐dimensional materials, h‐BN surface preparation and cleaning are a critical consideration. In this regard, we have utilized X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate the influence of several ex situ wet chemical and in situ thermal desorption cleaning procedures on pyrolytic h‐BN surfaces. Of the various wet chemistries investigated, a 10 : 1 buffered HF solution was found to produce surfaces with the lowest amount of oxygen and carbon contamination. Ultraviolet/ozone oxidation was found to be the most effective ex situ treatment for reducing carbon contamination. Annealing at 1050 °C in vacuum or 10−5 Torr NH3 was found to further reduce oxygen and carbon contamination to the XPS detection limits. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.