Atomically thin hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) was investigated using aberration-corrected ultra-high resolution electron microscopy under 80kV electron beam. This study focuses on the in situ formation, growth and migration of vacancies in h-BN. This study also reveals interaction dynamics of edges and vacancies with adatoms and molecules under the electron beam. According to this investigation, boron monovacancies migrate through their second neighbor to reduce the surface energy of the membrane.

Vacancy Growth and Migration Dynamics in Atomically Thin Hexagonal Boron Nitride under Electron Beam Irradiation. N.Alem, R.Erni, C.Kisielowski, M.D.Rossell, P.Hartel, B.Jiang, W.Gannett, A.Zett: Physica Status Solidi - Rapid Research Letters, 2011, 5[8], 295–7