  Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a layered two-dimensional material with
properties that make it promising as a dielectric in various applications. We
report the growth of h-BN films on Ni foils from elemental B and N using
molecular beam epitaxy. The presence of crystalline h-BN over the entire
substrate is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Atomic force microscopy is used
to examine the morphology and continuity of the synthesized films. A scanning
electron microscopy study of films obtained using shorter depositions offers
insight into the nucleation and growth behavior of h-BN on the Ni substrate.
The morphology of h-BN was found to evolve from dendritic, star-shaped islands
to larger, smooth triangular ones with increasing growth temperature.
