Few-atomic-layered boron carbonitride nanosheets prepared by chemical vapor deposition

Few-atomic-layered boron carbonitride (BCN) nanosheets have been grown on Si substrate by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition from a gas mixture of CH4–N2–H2–BF3. The grown BCN nanosheets are oriented with their base planes perpendicular to the substrate surface. Ultrathin BCN nanosheets with thickness from 2 to a few atomic layers account for a considerable portion of the products, although many of them have more than 10 layers. Photoluminescence is measured for the BCN nanosheets and intense emission at 3.27 eV with very weak defect-related emission is observed for the nanosheets with the composition of B0.38C0.27N0.35. The present BCN nanosheets are promising for applications in nanoelectronics, catalyst supports, gas adsorption, etc.