Boron Nitride Nanosheet Dielectric Technology 2026
Boron Nitride Nanosheet Dielectric Technology 2026
Hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets combine a ~5.9–6.0 eV bandgap, dielectric constant k ≈ 2.5–3.9, and atomically smooth surfaces. The field is accelerating from laboratory synthesis toward wafer-scale semiconductor integration.
h-BN Nanosheets: From White Graphene to Wafer-Scale Dielectrics
Hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) are atomically thin sheets in which boron and nitrogen atoms alternate in sp2-hybridized hexagonal rings bound by van der Waals forces. Their near-zero surface dangling bonds, low charge trap density, and breakdown field strength of ~12 MV/cm make them credible candidates to replace SiO₂ as gate dielectrics and interlayer insulators in 2D semiconductor platforms.
Three intersecting technical dimensions define this field: gate/substrate dielectrics exploiting h-BN’s ~12 MV/cm breakdown field, ultra-low-k interconnect dielectrics with nanocrystalline BN achieving k ≤ 2.5, and polymer/BNNS nanocomposites for high-energy-density film capacitors and HVDC cable insulation—where XLPE/BNNS at 0.5 wt% loading reaches 407.52 kV/mm DC breakdown strength.
The innovation timeline spans three phases in retrieved records: a foundational period (2006–2014) establishing reactive ion etching and CVD synthesis methods; a development cluster (2015–2021) during which Samsung Electronics began filing on BN layers with k ≤ 2.5 and CVD methods matured for large-area few-layer h-BN; and an acceleration phase (2022–2026) focused on wafer-scale integration, CFET thermal management, and BNNT low-k interconnect spacers.
In this dataset, Samsung Electronics is the most prolific assignee with at least 7 distinct patent documents, followed by ETH Zurich with 4 documents on nano-structured h-BN across WO, EP, and US jurisdictions. China contributes filings from at least 12 distinct institutions in retrieved records, reflecting state-driven investment in 2D material synthesis infrastructure.
Filing Concentration and Technology Cluster Distribution
Within retrieved records, BNNS dielectric innovation is distributed across four primary technology clusters—CVD/epitaxial gate dielectrics, nanocrystalline BN low-k films, polymer/BNNS composites, and nano-structured heterostructures—with filing activity intensifying markedly from 2022 onward.
Patent Documents by Technology Cluster — BNNS Dielectric (Dataset Snapshot)
CVD and epitaxial growth for gate/substrate dielectrics is the largest cluster in this dataset, with semiconductor-grade nanocrystalline BN and heterostructure engineering also well represented among retrieved records.
↗ Click bars to exploreBNNS Dielectric Patent Filing Activity by Phase — Retrieved Records
In this dataset, active and pending filings cluster heavily in the 2021–2026 acceleration phase, with the 2022–2026 window alone accounting for multiple new US grants and CN filings across wafer-scale integration and BEOL interconnect applications.
↗ Click bars to exploreKey Application Domains for BNNS Dielectric Technology
BNNS dielectric technology addresses six distinct application domains documented in retrieved records, ranging from advanced semiconductor logic and BEOL interconnects to high-voltage cable insulation and deep ultraviolet optoelectronics.
Advanced Semiconductor Logic & Memory
Samsung Electronics’ filing family positions nanocrystalline BN films with k ≤ 2.5 (at 100 kHz) as interlayer dielectrics for logic ICs, image sensors, and FETs, addressing parasitic capacitance at shrinking conductor pitch. The EP 2023 filing explicitly targets a dielectric constant range of 2.5–5.5. IBM’s 2020 US patent addresses BN-adjacent dielectric process integration in gate-all-around FET nanosheet stacks. Vellore Institute of Technology’s 2025 IN filing proposes h-BN as an insulating replacement for SiO₂ in buried oxide and STI regions of stacked CFET devices.
Semiconductor DielectricsBEOL Interconnect Dielectrics
Samsung’s January 2026 US filing on boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) as low-k spacers for interconnects is the first in this dataset to deploy BN nanotubes rather than nanosheets in the BEOL stack, positioning them as an alternative to air-gap and porous SiCOH approaches for RC delay reduction. This filing signals a structural geometry shift—from platelet BNNSs to tubular BNNTs—in high-aspect-ratio interconnect trenches at advanced nodes.
Interconnect EngineeringHigh-Voltage Cables & Film Capacitors
XLPE/BNNS composites at 0.5 wt% BNNS loading demonstrate DC breakdown strength of 407.52 kV/mm—approximately 33% above pure XLPE—as documented in 2020 literature. Sekisui Chemical’s EP and US patents (2021) cover BN nanomaterial/resin compositions combining BNNS and BNNT for resin composite applications. Polymer/BNNS film capacitors leverage BNNS as a barrier filler to achieve improved energy density through reduced leakage rather than increased permittivity.
Power & Energy StorageDeep Ultraviolet Optoelectronics
BNNS Schottky-contact photodetectors operating at temperatures up to 400°C are documented in 2017 literature, leveraging h-BN’s direct wide bandgap for DUV sensing. ETH Zurich’s nano-structured h-BN device portfolio (WO 2022, EP 2022, US 2024, US 2026) spans nanophotonic and optoelectronic applications including single-photon emission and hyperbolic dispersion, representing the broadest international filing strategy in this dataset for fundamental h-BN device engineering.
OptoelectronicsLeading Assignees in BNNS Dielectric Technology — Dataset Snapshot
In this dataset, Samsung Electronics is the most prolific assignee with at least 7 distinct patent documents spanning nanocrystalline BN films, BN layer fabrication, and BNNT low-k spacers across US and EP jurisdictions. ETH Zurich holds 4 documents on nano-structured h-BN covering WO, EP, and US filings in retrieved records.
Top Assignees by Filing Count — BNNS Dielectric Patents in Retrieved Records
↗ Click bars to exploreSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics is the most prolific assignee in this dataset with at least 7 distinct patent documents filed between 2021 and 2026 across US and EP jurisdictions. Filings cover nanocrystalline BN films with k ≤ 2.5 for logic ICs, image sensors, and FETs (US 2021, EP 2021, US 2023, EP 2023, US 2024, US 2025), and a January 2026 US filing on BNNT low-k spacers for BEOL interconnects. Multiple documents share the title family “Boron nitride layer, apparatus including the same, and method of fabricating the boron nitride layer,” with active and pending status across jurisdictions.
South Korea / United StatesETH Zurich
ETH Zurich holds 4 patent documents in this dataset covering nano-structured hexagonal boron nitride elements that generate defined electronic, optical, and mechanical effects—relevant to nanophotonics, single-photon emission, and hyperbolic dispersion. Filings span WO (2022), EP (2022), and two US publications/grants (2024 and 2026), representing the broadest multi-jurisdictional strategy in retrieved records for fundamental h-BN device engineering. The recurring patent title is “Method for producing a nano-structured element made of hexagonal boron nitride and device comprising such an element.”
Switzerland — CH / WO / EP / USAcceleration Signals: What 2024–2026 Filings Reveal
Based on filings dated 2024–2026 in this dataset, six directions are clearly accelerating: wafer-scale single-crystal h-BN integration, h-BN in CFET architectures, BNNT low-k spacers for BEOL, uniform-thickness h-BN film growth, scalable BNNS production, and surface functionalization for thermal and dielectric enhancement.
Wafer-Scale Single-Crystal h-BN Integration
Peking University’s 2026 CN patent describes dry-transfer stacking of wafer-scale single-crystal BN onto 2D material wafers, enabling BN/2D-material/BN sandwich structures at production scale. Suzhou SINANO’s 2024 filings on large-size single-crystal h-BN epitaxial growth address the same manufacturing bottleneck from the synthesis side. Together, these filings signal that wafer-scale heterofilm fabrication is transitioning from proof-of-concept to production-engineering status in retrieved records.
h-BN Integration in CFET and Next-Generation Logic
Vellore Institute of Technology’s 2025 IN patent proposes integrating h-BN into buried oxide, shallow trench isolation, and inter-stack insulating regions of complementary FET (CFET) architectures to manage self-heating in stacked transistor devices. This approach is directly relevant to sub-2 nm process nodes where thermal management in stacked gate-all-around structures is a critical engineering challenge, as the filing explicitly targets reduced lattice temperature and enhanced thermal performance.
Samsung Electronics vs. ETH Zurich: BN Dielectric Portfolio Profiles
Click any row to explore further.
| Dimension | Samsung Electronics | ETH Zurich |
|---|---|---|
| Filing count in dataset | 7+ patent documents (2021–2026) | 4 patent documents (2022–2026) |
| Primary technology focus | Nanocrystalline BN films (k ≤ 2.5) for logic ICs, image sensors, FETs; BNNT low-k spacers for BEOL interconnects | Nano-structured h-BN elements for optoelectronics, nanophotonics, single-photon emission, and quantum devices |
| Key jurisdictions | US, EP (also CN referenced) | WO, EP, US (multi-jurisdictional platform) |
| Dielectric constant target | k ≤ 2.5 (nanocrystalline BN at 100 kHz); range 2.5–5.5 (EP 2023 filing) | Not specified in dielectric terms; focus on electronic, optical, and mechanical nanoscale effects |
| Most recent filing | January 2026 (BNNT low-k spacers, US) | 2026 (nano-structured h-BN device, US) |
| Application stage | Device integration: ICs, image sensors, advanced node interconnects | Platform IP: optoelectronic and quantum device engineering |
| Strategic posture | Industrial semiconductor manufacturing; freedom-to-operate analysis advised for competitors in nanocrystalline BN low-k space | Broad platform IP; licensing or collaboration may be required for h-BN single-photon emitter or nanophotonic waveguide development |
Frequently Asked Questions: Boron Nitride Nanosheet Dielectric Technology
h-BN exhibits a bandgap of approximately 5.9–6.0 eV in bulk form (reduced to ~4.5 eV in nanosheet form), a dielectric constant close to SiO₂ (~3.9), breakdown field strength of ~12 MV/cm comparable to thermal SiO₂, and near-zero surface dangling bonds and charge traps. These properties make it a candidate to replace SiO₂ as a gate dielectric and interlayer insulator in 2D semiconductor device platforms.
In this dataset, Samsung Electronics is the most prolific assignee with at least 7 distinct patent documents (2021–2026) covering nanocrystalline BN films with k ≤ 2.5 and BNNT low-k spacers. ETH Zurich holds 4 documents on nano-structured h-BN for optoelectronic and quantum device applications. KAIST and Sekisui Chemical each have 3 documents in retrieved records.
According to 2020 literature retrieved in this dataset, XLPE/BNNS composites at 0.5 wt% BNNS loading demonstrate a DC breakdown strength of 407.52 kV/mm—approximately 33% above pure XLPE. This improvement is attributed to the wide bandgap of BNNSs impeding charge carrier injection and improving breakdown strength.
Samsung’s January 2026 US filing on boron nitride nanotubes for low-k dielectric spacers and faster interconnects is the first in this dataset to explicitly deploy BN nanotubes rather than nanosheets in the BEOL interconnect stack. It positions BNNTs as an alternative to air-gap and porous SiCOH approaches for RC delay reduction, signaling a structural geometry shift in BN-based low-k dielectric applications.
In retrieved records, the United States is the largest single jurisdiction for granted and active patents, covering Samsung, ETH Zurich, KAIST, IBM, and the University of California. China is the second largest jurisdiction with filings from at least 12 distinct institutions including Peking University, Nanjing University, and multiple Chinese Academy of Sciences institutes. Europe (EP/WO) hosts filings from ETH Zurich and Sekisui Chemical. India has two recent 2025 filings from Vellore Institute of Technology and IIT Patna.
According to retrieved records, scalable synthesis is identified as the primary commercialization barrier. Filings from Harbin University of Science and Technology, Shanghai University, and Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (all 2024–2025) consistently emphasize kilogram-scale, uniform, ultra-thin BNNS production as the rate-limiting step constraining downstream deployment across semiconductor, energy storage, and thermal management applications.
Data and insights on this page are based on a limited patent and literature dataset and are for reference only. Figures may not represent the complete technology landscape.