Studies on the Growth and Characterization of hexagonal boron nitride thin films

Hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN) with a direct band gap of $\sim $5.9 eV has emerged as a promising deep ultraviolet photonic material. We will present the studies on the growth and characterization of h-BN thin films grown on different substrates such as sapphire, YSZ, quartz, and metal substrates. The samples were grown by electron beam evaporation technique. Atomic force microscopy, x-ray diffraction, optical spectroscopy, and Hall effect measurement were employed to characterize surface morphology, structural, optical and electronic, and electrical properties, respectively. We will also present the results of Mg-doped h-BN thin films in an effort to make p-type BN. Implementation of our findings on the development of deep ultraviolet photonic devices will also be discussed.