Dresden 2026 – scientific programme
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TT: Fachverband Tiefe Temperaturen
TT 67: 2D Materials beyond graphene: Growth, structure and substrate interaction – Poster (joint session O/TT)
TT 67.3: Poster
Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 18:00–20:00, P2
Probing the Electrostatic Potential of hBN by AFM with Oxygen-Terminated Copper Tips — •Jan ter Glane1,2, Philipp Wiesener1,2, Thorsten Deilmann3, Milena Merkel1,2, Maciej Bazarnik2, Anika Schlenhoff2, and Harry Mönig1,2 — 1Center for Nanotechnology, University of Münster, Germany — 2Institute of Physics, University of Münster, Germany — 3Institute of Solid State Theory, University of Münster, Germany
Monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) hosts point defects with promising optoelectronic properties, yet their atomic structure remains unclear [1]. Conventional scanning tunneling (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) lack elemental contrast, making it difficult to reliably distinguish B and N sites. Non-contact AFM with oxygen-terminated copper tips (CuOx-tips) has previously enabled elemental discrimination and defect identification on metal oxides [2].
Using CuOx-tip AFM, we demonstrate elemental contrast on NaCl thin films, suggesting its broad applicability to polarized surfaces. Leveraging this capability, we investigate its application to monolayer hBN. DFT-optimized electrostatic potential calculations predict clear B-N contrast. To realize these measurements, we employ in-situ chemical vapor deposition growth procedures for high-quality hBN on single-crystalline substrates. We outline the benefits of CuOx-tip AFM and present initial results towards correlating STM/STS measurements, aiming to enable atom-specific defect identification in hBN.
[1] Grosso et al., Nat. Commun. 8, 705 (2017)
[2] Wiesener et al., ACS Nano 18, 21948 (2024)
Keywords: Atomic force microscopy; Scanning tunneling microscopy; CuOx functionalized tips; Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN); Point defects