Field Emission of Bulk Hexagonal Boron Nitride Via Extreme Ultraviolet Pulsed Atom Probe Tomography

Published

July 27, 2026

Author(s)

Christopher Mead, Benjamin Caplins, Luis Miaja Avila, Ann Debay, James Edgar, Josh Avery

Abstract

As modern transistors approach the atomic limit, the continued scaling of computational power has required significant efforts to develop next-generation device architectures at such small scales. 2D- materials, materials containing covalently bonded layers held together by interlayer van der Waals (vdW) forces, have been identified as promising candidates for these next-generation devices [1]. Despite their potential, device integration has been slow due to difficulties creating layers with the desired electric properties. Progress has been hindered by a lack of reliable characterization techniques for analyzing the spatially resolved chemical composition of 2D materials. For 3D materials, atom probe tomography (APT) has been widely adopted for mapping the spatial distribution of atomic species and in complex structures; however, APT's application to 2D materials remains limited. The same vdW bonding that makes 2D materials ideal for device applications often leads to delamination under the applied standing voltage (SV) and resulting Maxwell stress of APT analysis [2]. While some initial investigations have had success using a variety of sample preparation and processing procedures, reports remain sparse.

Volume

32

Issue

Supplement_1

Conference Dates

August 2-6, 2026

Conference Location

Milwaukee, WI, US

Conference Title

Microscopy and Microanalysis

Pub Type

Conferences

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1093/mam/ozag053.086

Local Download

Keywords

hexagonal boron nitride, 2D material, atom probe tomography

Citation

Mead, C. , Caplins, B. , Miaja Avila, L. , Debay, A. , Edgar, J. and Avery, J. (2026), Field Emission of Bulk Hexagonal Boron Nitride Via Extreme Ultraviolet Pulsed Atom Probe Tomography, Microscopy and Microanalysis, Milwaukee, WI, US, [online], https://doi.org/10.1093/mam/ozag053.086, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=961601 (Accessed September 1, 2026)

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