Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has been grown on sapphire substrates by ultra-high temperature molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). A wide range of substrate temperatures and boron fluxes have been explored, revealing that high crystalline quality hBN layers are grown at high substrate temperatures, $>$1600$^circ$C, and low boron fluxes, $sim1times10^{-8}$ Torr beam equivalent pressure. emph{In-situ} reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) revealed the growth of hBN layers with $60^circ$ rotational symmetry and the $[11bar20]$ axis of hBN parallel to the $[1bar100]$ axis of the sapphire substrate. Unlike the rough, polycrystalline films previously reported, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization of these films demonstrate smooth, layered, few-nanometer hBN films on a nitridated sapphire substrate. This demonstration of high-quality hBN growth by MBE is a step towards its integration into existing epitaxial growth platforms, applications, and technologies.
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