Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
Few-layer hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets were produced by using super-short-pulse laser produced plasma deposition techniques. Scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to explore the morphologies, elemental concentrations and bond structures of the few-layer h-BN nanosheets. High-quality transparent few-layer h-BN nanosheet with the width up to more than 6 μm, and length more than 20 μm were successfully obtained. The change in contrast suggests that the number of atomic layers varies over the area. A comparative study between the obtained few-layer h-BN nanosheets and the previously synthesized few-layer graphene were also conducted in order to further investigate the properties of the promising 2-Dimention (2D) nanomaterials. Our results suggest that the development h-BN nanosheets has the potential to revolutionize the understanding of 2-D nanomaterials with delocalized electronsheralding a transformative technology with dramatic future implications.