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Cobarrubia A, Schottle N, Suliman D, Gomez-Barron S, Patino CR, Kiefer B, Behura SK. Hexagonal Boron Nitride Quantum Simulator: Prelude to Spin and Photonic Qubits. ACS NANO 2024; 18:22609-22619. [PMID: 39138124 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c04240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
The quest for qubit operation at room temperature is accelerating the field of quantum information science and technology. Solid state quantum defects with spin-optical properties are promising spin- and photonic qubit candidates for room temperature operations. In this regard, a single boron vacancy within hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) lattice such as VB- defect has coherent quantum interfaces for spin and photonic qubits owing to the large band gap of h-BN (6 eV) that can shield a computational subspace from environmental noise. However, for a VB- defect in h-BN to be a potential quantum simulator, the design and characterization of the Hamiltonian involving mutual interactions of the defect and other degrees of freedom are needed to fully understand the effect of defects on the computational subspace. Here, we studied the key coupling tensors such as zero-field splitting, Zeeman effect, and hyperfine splitting in order to build the Hamiltonian of the VB- defect. These eigenstates are spin triplet states that form a computational subspace. To study the phonon-assisted single photon emission in the VB- defect, the Hamiltonian is characterized by electron-phonon interaction with Jahn-Teller distortions. A theoretical demonstration of how the VB- Hamiltonian is utilized to relate these quantum properties to spin- and photonic-quantum information processing. For selecting promising host 2D materials for spin and photonic qubits, we present a data-mining perspective based on the proposed Hamiltonian engineering of the VB- defect in which h-BN is one of four materials chosen to be room temperature qubit candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Cobarrubia
- Department of Physics, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, United States
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, United States
| | - Nicholas Schottle
- Department of Physics, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, United States
| | - Dilon Suliman
- Department of Physics, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, United States
| | - Sebastian Gomez-Barron
- Department of Physics, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, United States
| | - Christopher R Patino
- Department of Physics, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, United States
| | - Boris Kiefer
- Department of Physics, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, United States
| | - Sanjay K Behura
- Department of Physics, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, United States
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2
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Scholten SC, Singh P, Healey AJ, Robertson IO, Haim G, Tan C, Broadway DA, Wang L, Abe H, Ohshima T, Kianinia M, Reineck P, Aharonovich I, Tetienne JP. Multi-species optically addressable spin defects in a van der Waals material. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6727. [PMID: 39112477 PMCID: PMC11306348 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51129-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Optically addressable spin defects hosted in two-dimensional van der Waals materials represent a new frontier for quantum technologies, promising to lead to a new class of ultrathin quantum sensors and simulators. Recently, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has been shown to host several types of optically addressable spin defects, thus offering a unique opportunity to simultaneously address and utilise various spin species in a single material. Here we demonstrate an interplay between two separate spin species within a single hBN crystal, namely S = 1 boron vacancy defects and carbon-related electron spins. We reveal the S = 1/2 character of the carbon-related defect and further demonstrate room temperature coherent control and optical readout of both S = 1 and S = 1/2 spin species. By tuning the two spin ensembles into resonance with each other, we observe cross-relaxation indicating strong inter-species dipolar coupling. We then demonstrate magnetic imaging using the S = 1/2 defects and leverage their lack of intrinsic quantization axis to probe the magnetic anisotropy of a test sample. Our results establish hBN as a versatile platform for quantum technologies in a van der Waals host at room temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam C Scholten
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
- School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology, School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Priya Singh
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
| | | | | | - Galya Haim
- School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- Department of Applied Physics, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Cheng Tan
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
| | - David A Broadway
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
| | - Lan Wang
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
- Low Dimensional Magnetism and Spintronic Devices Lab, School of Physics, Hefei University of Technology, 230009, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Hiroshi Abe
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), 1233 Watanuki, Takasaki, Gunma 370-1292, Japan
| | - Takeshi Ohshima
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), 1233 Watanuki, Takasaki, Gunma 370-1292, Japan
- Department of Materials Science, Tohoku University, 6-6-02 Aramaki-Aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, Japan
| | - Mehran Kianinia
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Philipp Reineck
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
| | - Igor Aharonovich
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
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3
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Wang Y, Yu Z, Smith CS, Caneva S. Site-Specific Integration of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Quantum Emitters on 2D DNA Origami Nanopores. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:8510-8517. [PMID: 38856705 PMCID: PMC11261624 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c00673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Optical emitters in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are promising probes for single-molecule sensing platforms. When engineered in nanoparticle form, they can be integrated as detectors in nanodevices, yet positional control at the nanoscale is lacking. Here we demonstrate the functionalization of DNA origami nanopores with optically active hBN nanoparticles (NPs) with nanometer precision. The NPs are active under three wavelengths of visible illumination and display both stable and blinking emission, enabling their accurate localization by using wide-field optical nanoscopy. Correlative opto-structural characterization reveals deterministic binding of bright, multicolor hBN NPs at the pore rim due to π-π stacking interactions at site-specific locations on the DNA origami. Our work provides a scalable, bottom-up approach toward deterministic assembly of solid-state emitters on arbitrary structural elements based on DNA origami. Such a nanoscale arrangement of optically active components can advance the development of single-molecule platforms, including optical nanopores and nanochannel sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yabin Wang
- Department
of Precision and Microsystems Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628
CD, Delft, The Netherlands
- Delft
Center for Systems and Control, Delft University
of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft, Netherlands
| | - Ze Yu
- Department
of Precision and Microsystems Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628
CD, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Carlas S. Smith
- Delft
Center for Systems and Control, Delft University
of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft, Netherlands
| | - Sabina Caneva
- Department
of Precision and Microsystems Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628
CD, Delft, The Netherlands
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4
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Grzeszczyk M, Vaklinova K, Watanabe K, Taniguchi T, Novoselov KS, Koperski M. Electroluminescence from pure resonant states in hBN-based vertical tunneling junctions. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2024; 13:155. [PMID: 38977677 PMCID: PMC11231135 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-024-01491-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Defect centers in wide-band-gap crystals have garnered interest for their potential in applications among optoelectronic and sensor technologies. However, defects embedded in highly insulating crystals, like diamond, silicon carbide, or aluminum oxide, have been notoriously difficult to excite electrically due to their large internal resistance. To address this challenge, we realized a new paradigm of exciting defects in vertical tunneling junctions based on carbon centers in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). The rational design of the devices via van der Waals technology enabled us to raise and control optical processes related to defect-to-band and intradefect electroluminescence. The fundamental understanding of the tunneling events was based on the transfer of the electronic wave function amplitude between resonant defect states in hBN to the metallic state in graphene, which leads to dramatic changes in the characteristics of electrons due to different band structures of constituent materials. In our devices, the decay of electrons via tunneling pathways competed with radiative recombination, resulting in an unprecedented degree of tuneability of carrier dynamics due to the significant sensitivity of the characteristic tunneling times on the thickness and structure of the barrier. This enabled us to achieve a high-efficiency electrical excitation of intradefect transitions, exceeding by several orders of magnitude the efficiency of optical excitation in the sub-band-gap regime. This work represents a significant advancement towards a universal and scalable platform for electrically driven devices utilizing defect centers in wide-band-gap crystals with properties modulated via activation of different tunneling mechanisms at a level of device engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Grzeszczyk
- Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117544, Singapore.
| | - Kristina Vaklinova
- Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117544, Singapore
| | - Kenji Watanabe
- Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Japan
| | - Takashi Taniguchi
- International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Japan
| | - Konstantin S Novoselov
- Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117544, Singapore
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117575, Singapore
| | - Maciej Koperski
- Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117544, Singapore.
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117575, Singapore.
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5
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Patel RN, Fishman REK, Huang TY, Gusdorff JA, Fehr DA, Hopper DA, Breitweiser SA, Porat B, Flatté ME, Bassett LC. Room Temperature Dynamics of an Optically Addressable Single Spin in Hexagonal Boron Nitride. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:7623-7628. [PMID: 38860722 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) hosts pure single-photon emitters that have shown evidence of optically detected electronic spin dynamics. However, the electrical and chemical structures of these optically addressable spins are unknown, and the nature of their spin-optical interactions remains mysterious. Here, we use time-domain optical and microwave experiments to characterize a single emitter in h-BN exhibiting room temperature optically detected magnetic resonance. Using dynamical simulations, we constrain and quantify transition rates in the model, and we design optical control protocols that optimize the signal-to-noise ratio for spin readout. This constitutes a necessary step toward quantum control of spin states in h-BN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raj N Patel
- Quantum Engineering Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Rebecca E K Fishman
- Quantum Engineering Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Tzu-Yung Huang
- Quantum Engineering Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Jordan A Gusdorff
- Quantum Engineering Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - David A Fehr
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - David A Hopper
- Quantum Engineering Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - S Alex Breitweiser
- Quantum Engineering Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Benjamin Porat
- Quantum Engineering Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Michael E Flatté
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
- Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Lee C Bassett
- Quantum Engineering Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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6
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Singla S, Joshi P, López-Morales GI, Sarkar S, Sarkar S, Flick J, Chakraborty B. Probing Correlation of Optical Emission and Defect Sites in Hexagonal Boron Nitride by High-Resolution STEM-EELS. NANO LETTERS 2024. [PMID: 38888554 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Optically bright emitters in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) often acting as a source of a single-photon are mostly attributed to point-defect centers, featuring localized intra-bandgap electronic states. Although vacancies, anti-sites, and impurities have been proposed as candidates, the exact physical and chemical nature of most hBN single-photon emitters (SPEs) within the visible region are still up for debate. Combining site-specific high-angle annular dark-field imaging (HAADF) with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), we resolve and identify a few carbon substitutions among neighboring hBN hexagons, all within the same sample region, from which typical defect emission is observed. Our experimental results are further supported by first-principles calculations, through which the stability and possible optical transitions of the proposed carbon-defect complex are assessed. The presented correlation between optical emission and defects provides valuable information toward the controlled creation of emitters in hBN, highlighting carbon complexes as another probable cause of its visible SPEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakal Singla
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, Jammu 181221, India
| | - Pragya Joshi
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, Jammu 181221, India
| | | | - Suman Sarkar
- Central Instrumental Facility, Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, Jammu 181221, India
| | - Suman Sarkar
- Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, Jammu 181221, India
| | - Johannes Flick
- Department of Physics, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York 10016, United States
- Center for Computational Quantum Physics, Flatiron Institute, New York, New York 10010, United States
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7
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Mai TNA, Ali S, Hossain MS, Chen C, Ding L, Chen Y, Solntsev AS, Mou H, Xu X, Medhekar N, Tran TT. Cryogenic Thermal Shock Effects on Optical Properties of Quantum Emitters in Hexagonal Boron Nitride. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:19340-19349. [PMID: 38570338 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c18032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Solid-state quantum emitters are vital building blocks for quantum information science and quantum technology. Among various types of solid-state emitters discovered to date, color centers in hexagonal boron nitride have garnered tremendous traction in recent years, thanks to their environmental robustness, high brightness, and room-temperature operation. Most recently, these quantum emitters have been employed for satellite-based quantum key distribution. One of the most important requirements to qualify these emitters for space-based applications is their optical stability against cryogenic thermal shock. Such an understanding has, however, remained elusive to date. Here, we report on the effects caused by such thermal shock that induces random, irreversible changes in the spectral characteristics of the quantum emitters. By employing a combination of structural characterizations and density functional calculations, we attribute the observed changes to lattice strain caused by cryogenic temperature shock. Our study sheds light on the stability of the quantum emitters under extreme conditions─similar to those countered in outer space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Ngoc Anh Mai
- School of Electrical and Data Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Sajid Ali
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Md Shakhawath Hossain
- School of Electrical and Data Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Chaohao Chen
- Department of Electronic Materials Engineering, Research School of Physics, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems (TMOS), Research School of Physics, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Lei Ding
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Yongliang Chen
- Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Alexander S Solntsev
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Hongwei Mou
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Xiaoxue Xu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Nikhil Medhekar
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Toan Trong Tran
- School of Electrical and Data Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
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8
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Sortino L, Gale A, Kühner L, Li C, Biechteler J, Wendisch FJ, Kianinia M, Ren H, Toth M, Maier SA, Aharonovich I, Tittl A. Optically addressable spin defects coupled to bound states in the continuum metasurfaces. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2008. [PMID: 38443418 PMCID: PMC10914779 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46272-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Van der Waals (vdW) materials, including hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), are layered crystalline solids with appealing properties for investigating light-matter interactions at the nanoscale. hBN has emerged as a versatile building block for nanophotonic structures, and the recent identification of native optically addressable spin defects has opened up exciting possibilities in quantum technologies. However, these defects exhibit relatively low quantum efficiencies and a broad emission spectrum, limiting potential applications. Optical metasurfaces present a novel approach to boost light emission efficiency, offering remarkable control over light-matter coupling at the sub-wavelength regime. Here, we propose and realise a monolithic scalable integration between intrinsic spin defects in hBN metasurfaces and high quality (Q) factor resonances, exceeding 102, leveraging quasi-bound states in the continuum (qBICs). Coupling between defect ensembles and qBIC resonances delivers a 25-fold increase in photoluminescence intensity, accompanied by spectral narrowing to below 4 nm linewidth and increased narrowband spin-readout efficiency. Our findings demonstrate a new class of metasurfaces for spin-defect-based technologies and pave the way towards vdW-based nanophotonic devices with enhanced efficiency and sensitivity for quantum applications in imaging, sensing, and light emission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Sortino
- Chair in Hybrid Nanosystems, Nanoinstitute Munich, Faculty of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Angus Gale
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Lucca Kühner
- Chair in Hybrid Nanosystems, Nanoinstitute Munich, Faculty of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Chi Li
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Jonas Biechteler
- Chair in Hybrid Nanosystems, Nanoinstitute Munich, Faculty of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Fedja J Wendisch
- Chair in Hybrid Nanosystems, Nanoinstitute Munich, Faculty of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Mehran Kianinia
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Haoran Ren
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Milos Toth
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Stefan A Maier
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- The Blackett Laboratory, Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Igor Aharonovich
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
| | - Andreas Tittl
- Chair in Hybrid Nanosystems, Nanoinstitute Munich, Faculty of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80539, Munich, Germany.
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9
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Ganyecz Á, Babar R, Benedek Z, Aharonovich I, Barcza G, Ivády V. First-principles theory of the nitrogen interstitial in hBN: a plausible model for the blue emitter. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:4125-4139. [PMID: 38332749 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr05811e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Color centers in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) have attracted considerable attention due to their remarkable optical properties enabling robust room temperature photonics and quantum optics applications in the visible spectral range. On the other hand, identification of the microscopic origin of color centers in hBN has turned out to be a great challenge that hinders the in-depth theoretical characterization, on-demand fabrication, and development of integrated photonic devices. This is also true for the blue emitter, which is a result of irradiation damage in hBN, emitting at 436 nm wavelength with desirable properties. Here, we propose the negatively charged nitrogen split interstitial defect in hBN as a plausible microscopic model for the blue emitter. To this end, we carried out a comprehensive first-principles theoretical study of the nitrogen interstitial. We carefully analyzed the accuracy of first-principles methods and showed that the commonly used HSE hybrid exchange-correlation functional fails to describe the electronic structure of this defect. Using the generalized Koopman's theorem, we fine-tuned the functional and obtained a zero-phonon photoluminescence (ZPL) energy in the blue spectral range. We showed that the defect exhibits a high emission rate in the ZPL line and features a characteristic phonon side band that resembles the blue emitter's spectrum. Furthermore, we studied the electric field dependence of the ZPL and numerically showed that the defect exhibits a quadratic Stark shift that is perpendicular to plane electric fields, making the emitter insensitive to electric field fluctuations in the first order. Our work emphasizes the need for assessing the accuracy of common first-principles methods in hBN and exemplifies a workaround methodology. Furthermore, our work is a step towards understanding the structure of the blue emitter and utilizing it in photonics applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ádám Ganyecz
- Strongly Correlated Systems Lendület Research Group, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, H-1525, Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Lendület "Momentum" NewQubit Research Group, Pázmány Péter, Sétány 1/A, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Rohit Babar
- Strongly Correlated Systems Lendület Research Group, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, H-1525, Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Lendület "Momentum" NewQubit Research Group, Pázmány Péter, Sétány 1/A, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Zsolt Benedek
- Strongly Correlated Systems Lendület Research Group, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, H-1525, Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Lendület "Momentum" NewQubit Research Group, Pázmány Péter, Sétány 1/A, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Igor Aharonovich
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative meta-Optical Systems (TMOS), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Gergely Barcza
- Strongly Correlated Systems Lendület Research Group, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, H-1525, Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Lendület "Momentum" NewQubit Research Group, Pázmány Péter, Sétány 1/A, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Viktor Ivády
- MTA-ELTE Lendület "Momentum" NewQubit Research Group, Pázmány Péter, Sétány 1/A, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Eötvös Loránd University, Egyetem tér 1-3, H-1053 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
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10
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Smit R, Tebyani A, Hameury J, van der Molen SJ, Orrit M. Sharp zero-phonon lines of single organic molecules on a hexagonal boron-nitride surface. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7960. [PMID: 38042826 PMCID: PMC10693553 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42865-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Single fluorescent molecules embedded in the bulk of host crystals have proven to be sensitive probes of the dynamics in their nano environment, thanks to their narrow (about 30-50 MHz or 0.1-0.2 μeV) optical linewidth of the 0-0 zero-phonon line (0-0 ZPL) at cryogenic temperatures. However, the optical linewidths of the 0-0 ZPL have been found to increase dramatically as the single molecules are located closer to a surface or interface, while no 0-0 ZPL has been detected for single molecules on any surface. Here we study single terrylene molecules adsorbed on the surface of hexagonal boron-nitride (hBN) substrates. Our low-temperature results show that it is possible to observe the 0-0 ZPL of fluorescent molecules on a surface. We compare our results for molecules deposited on the surfaces of annealed and non-annealed hBN flakes and we see a marked improvement in the spectral stability of the emitters after annealing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Smit
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, LION, Postbus 9504, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Arash Tebyani
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, LION, Postbus 9504, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jil Hameury
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, LION, Postbus 9504, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Michel Orrit
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, LION, Postbus 9504, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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11
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Zhao H, Ma Y, Gao Z, Liu N, Wu T, Wu S, Feng X, Hone J, Strauf S, Feng L. High-Purity Generation and Switching of Twisted Single Photons. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 131:183801. [PMID: 37977645 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.131.183801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Quantum technologies, if scaled into a high-dimensional Hilbert space, can dramatically enhance connection capabilities with supporting higher bit rates and ultrasecure information transfer. Twisted single photons, carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) as an unbounded dimension, could address the growing demand for high-dimensional quantum information encoding and transmission. By hybrid integration of two-dimensional semiconductor WSe_{2} with a spin-orbit-coupled microring resonator, we demonstrate an integrated tunable twisted single photon source with the ability to precisely define and switch between highly pure spin-OAM states. Our results feature a single photon purity of g^{(2)}(0)∼0.13 with a cavity-enhanced quantum yield of 76% and a high OAM mode purity up to 96.9%. Moreover, the demonstrated quantum-chiral control can also enable new quantum functionality such as single photon routing for efficient quantum information processing on chip.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoqi Zhao
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Yichen Ma
- Department of Physics, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, USA
- Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, USA
| | - Zihe Gao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Na Liu
- Department of Physics, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, USA
- Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, USA
| | - Tianwei Wu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Shuang Wu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Xilin Feng
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - James Hone
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | - Stefan Strauf
- Department of Physics, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, USA
- Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, USA
| | - Liang Feng
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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12
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Sánchez Arribas I, Taniguchi T, Watanabe K, Weig EM. Radiation Pressure Backaction on a Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanomechanical Resonator. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:6301-6307. [PMID: 37460106 PMCID: PMC10375595 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c00544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is a van der Waals material with excellent mechanical properties hosting quantum emitters and optically active spin defects, with several of them being sensitive to strain. Establishing optomechanical control of hBN will enable hybrid quantum devices that combine the spin degree of freedom with the cavity optomechanical toolbox. In this Letter, we report the first observation of radiation pressure backaction at telecom wavelengths with a hBN drum-head mechanical resonator. The thermomechanical motion of the resonator is coupled to the optical mode of a high finesse fiber-based Fabry-Pérot microcavity in a membrane-in-the-middle configuration. We are able to resolve the optical spring effect and optomechanical damping with a single photon coupling strength of g0/2π = 1200 Hz. Our results pave the way for tailoring the mechanical properties of hBN resonators with light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Sánchez Arribas
- Department of Electrical Engineering, School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Takashi Taniguchi
- International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
| | - Kenji Watanabe
- Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
| | - Eva M Weig
- Department of Electrical Engineering, School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST), 80799 Munich, Germany
- TUM Center for Quantum Engineering (ZQE), 85748 Garching, Germany
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13
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Nonahal M, Horder J, Gale A, Ding L, Li C, Hennessey M, Ha ST, Toth M, Aharonovich I. Deterministic Fabrication of a Coupled Cavity-Emitter System in Hexagonal Boron Nitride. NANO LETTERS 2023. [PMID: 37418703 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c01836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Light-matter interactions in optical cavities underpin many applications of integrated quantum photonics. Among various solid-state platforms, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is gaining considerable interest as a compelling van der Waals host of quantum emitters. However, progress to date has been limited by an inability to engineer simultaneously an hBN emitter and a narrow-band photonic resonator at a predetermined wavelength. Here, we overcome this problem and demonstrate deterministic fabrication of hBN nanobeam photonic crystal cavities with high quality factors over a broad spectral range (∼400 to 850 nm). We then fabricate a monolithic, coupled cavity-emitter system designed for a blue quantum emitter that has an emission wavelength of 436 nm and is induced deterministically by electron beam irradiation of the cavity hotspot. Our work constitutes a promising path to scalable on-chip quantum photonics and paves the way to quantum networks based on van der Waals materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Nonahal
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Jake Horder
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Angus Gale
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Lu Ding
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Kinesis 138635 Singapore
| | - Chi Li
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Madeline Hennessey
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Son Tung Ha
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Kinesis 138635 Singapore
| | - Milos Toth
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Igor Aharonovich
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
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14
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Robertson IO, Scholten SC, Singh P, Healey AJ, Meneses F, Reineck P, Abe H, Ohshima T, Kianinia M, Aharonovich I, Tetienne JP. Detection of Paramagnetic Spins with an Ultrathin van der Waals Quantum Sensor. ACS NANO 2023. [PMID: 37406158 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c01678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Detecting magnetic noise from small quantities of paramagnetic spins is a powerful capability for chemical, biochemical, and medical analysis. Quantum sensors based on optically addressable spin defects in bulk semiconductors are typically employed for such purposes, but the 3D crystal structure of the sensor inhibits sensitivity by limiting the proximity of the defects to the target spins. Here we demonstrate the detection of paramagnetic spins using spin defects hosted in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), a van der Waals material that can be exfoliated into the 2D regime. We first create negatively charged boron vacancy (VB-) defects in a powder of ultrathin hBN nanoflakes (<10 atomic monolayers thick on average) and measure the longitudinal spin relaxation time (T1) of this system. We then decorate the dry hBN nanopowder with paramagnetic Gd3+ ions and observe a clear T1 quenching under ambient conditions, consistent with the added magnetic noise. Finally, we demonstrate the possibility of performing spin measurements, including T1 relaxometry using solution-suspended hBN nanopowder. Our results highlight the potential and versatility of the hBN quantum sensor for a range of sensing applications and make steps toward the realization of a truly 2D, ultrasensitive quantum sensor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Islay O Robertson
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Sam C Scholten
- School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
- Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology, School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Priya Singh
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Alexander J Healey
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
- School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
- Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology, School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Fernando Meneses
- School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
- Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology, School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Philipp Reineck
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Hiroshi Abe
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), 1233 Watanuki, Takasaki, Gunma 370-1292, Japan
| | - Takeshi Ohshima
- National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), 1233 Watanuki, Takasaki, Gunma 370-1292, Japan
- Department of Materials Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Mehran Kianinia
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Igor Aharonovich
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
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Shin DH, Yang X, Caneva S. Single-Molecule Protein Fingerprinting with Photonic Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanopores. ACCOUNTS OF MATERIALS RESEARCH 2023; 4:307-310. [PMID: 37151913 PMCID: PMC10152444 DOI: 10.1021/accountsmr.3c00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
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