Molecular beam epitaxy growth of cadmium telluride structures on hexagonal boron nitride

We investigate the feasibility of epitaxial growth of a three-dimensional semiconductor on a two-dimensional substrate. In particular, we report for the first time on molecular beam epitaxy growth of cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum wells on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). The presence of the quantum wells is confirmed by photoluminescence measurements conducted at helium temperatures. Growth of quantum wells on two dimensional, almost perfectly flat hBN appears to be very different from growth on bulk substrates, in particular it requires 70-100${}^{\circ }$C lower temperatures.