New Physics of Breakdown in 2D Hexagonal Boron Nitride Dielectrics and Its Potential Applications

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has emerged as one of the promising dielectric materials for the practical realization of graphene nanoelectronics. Although numerous stacks of outperforming 2D material-based transistors have already been demonstrated, very limited insights are available on the reliability aspects of h-BN as a gate dielectric for 2D nanoelectronics. In this work, we review the key similarities and differences in the degradation and breakdown of conventional (SiO
₂
, HfO
₂
) and emerging 2D (h-BN) dielectrics. Some of the key emerging potential applications of h-BN are also highlighted.