The structure and local chemical properties of boron-terminated tetravacancies in hexagonal boron-nitride

TL;DR

This study combines advanced electron microscopy and spectroscopy with theoretical calculations to characterize boron-terminated tetravacancies in hexagonal boron nitride, revealing new spectral features and confirming defect structures.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed experimental characterization of boron-terminated tetravacancies in h-BN, validating theoretical models and identifying new spectral features.

Findings

Confirmed the structure of boron-terminated tetravacancies

Identified new features in B atom EELS spectra

Correlated experimental data with theoretical calculations

Abstract

Imaging and spectroscopy performed in a low-voltage scanning transmission electron microscope (LV-STEM) are used to characterize the structure and chemical properties of boron-terminated tetravacancies in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). We confirm earlier theoretical predictions about the structure of these defects and identify new features in the electron energy-loss spectra (EELS) of B atoms using high resolution chemical maps, highlighting differences between these areas and pristine sample regions. We correlate our experimental data with calculations which help explain our observations.