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Xu DD, Vong AF, Utama MIB, Lebedev D, Ananth R, Hersam MC, Weiss EA, Mirkin CA. Sub-Diffraction Correlation of Quantum Emitters and Local Strain Fields in Strain-Engineered WSe 2 Monolayers. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2314242. [PMID: 38346232 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202314242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Strain-engineering in atomically thin metal dichalcogenides is a useful method for realizing single-photon emitters (SPEs) for quantum technologies. Correlating SPE position with local strain topography is challenging due to localization inaccuracies from the diffraction limit. Currently, SPEs are assumed to be positioned at the highest strained location and are typically identified by randomly screening narrow-linewidth emitters, of which only a few are spectrally pure. In this work, hyperspectral quantum emitter localization microscopy is used to locate 33 SPEs in nanoparticle-strained WSe2 monolayers with sub-diffraction-limit resolution (≈30 nm) and correlate their positions with the underlying strain field via image registration. In this system, spectrally pure emitters are not concentrated at the highest strain location due to spectral contamination; instead, isolable SPEs are distributed away from points of peak strain with an average displacement of 240 nm. These observations point toward a need for a change in the design rules for strain-engineered SPEs and constitute a key step toward realizing next-generation quantum optical architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- David D Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Albert F Vong
- International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - M Iqbal Bakti Utama
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Dmitry Lebedev
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Riddhi Ananth
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Mark C Hersam
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Emily A Weiss
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Chad A Mirkin
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
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Luo W, Lawrie BJ, Puretzky AA, Tan Q, Gao H, Lingerfelt DB, Eichman G, Mcgee E, Swan AK, Liang L, Ling X. Imaging Strain-Localized Single-Photon Emitters in Layered GaSe below the Diffraction Limit. ACS NANO 2023. [PMID: 38044592 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c05250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Nanoscale strain control of exciton funneling is an increasingly critical tool for the scalable production of single photon emitters (SPEs) in two-dimensional materials. However, conventional far-field optical microscopies remain constrained in spatial resolution by the diffraction limit and thus can provide only a limited description of nanoscale strain localization of SPEs. Here, we quantify the effects of nanoscale heterogeneous strain on the energy and brightness of GaSe SPEs on nanopillars with correlative cathodoluminescence, photoluminescence, and atomic force microscopy, supported by density functional theory simulations. We report the strain-localized SPEs have a broad range of emission wavelengths from 620 to 900 nm. We reveal substantial strain-controlled SPE wavelength tunability over a ∼100 nm spectral range and 2 orders of magnitude enhancement in the SPE brightness at the pillar center due to Type-I exciton funneling. In addition, we show that radiative biexciton cascade processes contribute to observed CL photon superbunching. Also, the GaSe SPEs show excellent stability, where their properties remain unchanged after electron beam exposure. We anticipate that this comprehensive study on the nanoscale strain control of two-dimensional SPEs will provide key insights to guide the development of truly deterministic quantum photonics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijun Luo
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Benjamin J Lawrie
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
- Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Alexander A Puretzky
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Qishuo Tan
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Hongze Gao
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - David B Lingerfelt
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Gage Eichman
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Edward Mcgee
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Anna K Swan
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- The Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Liangbo Liang
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Xi Ling
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- The Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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3
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Kim SH, Park KH, Lee YG, Kang SJ, Park Y, Kim YD. Color Centers in Hexagonal Boron Nitride. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:2344. [PMID: 37630929 PMCID: PMC10458833 DOI: 10.3390/nano13162344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has emerged as an essential material for the encapsulation layer in van der Waals heterostructures and efficient deep ultraviolet optoelectronics. This is primarily due to its remarkable physical properties and ultrawide bandgap (close to 6 eV, and even larger in some cases) properties. Color centers in hBN refer to intrinsic vacancies and extrinsic impurities within the 2D crystal lattice, which result in distinct optical properties in the ultraviolet (UV) to near-infrared (IR) range. Furthermore, each color center in hBN exhibits a unique emission spectrum and possesses various spin properties. These characteristics open up possibilities for the development of next-generation optoelectronics and quantum information applications, including room-temperature single-photon sources and quantum sensors. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the atomic configuration, optical and quantum properties, and different techniques employed for the formation of color centers in hBN. A deep understanding of color centers in hBN allows for advances in the development of next-generation UV optoelectronic applications, solid-state quantum technologies, and nanophotonics by harnessing the exceptional capabilities offered by hBN color centers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suk Hyun Kim
- Department of Physics, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; (S.H.K.)
- Department of Information Display, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeong Ho Park
- Department of Physics, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; (S.H.K.)
| | - Young Gie Lee
- Department of Physics, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; (S.H.K.)
| | - Seong Jun Kang
- Department of Advanced Materials Engineering for Information and Electronics, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17101, Republic of Korea;
| | - Yongsup Park
- Department of Physics, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; (S.H.K.)
- Department of Information Display, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Duck Kim
- Department of Physics, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; (S.H.K.)
- Department of Information Display, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
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Gong R, He G, Gao X, Ju P, Liu Z, Ye B, Henriksen EA, Li T, Zu C. Coherent dynamics of strongly interacting electronic spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3299. [PMID: 37280252 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39115-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Optically active spin defects in van der Waals materials are promising platforms for modern quantum technologies. Here we investigate the coherent dynamics of strongly interacting ensembles of negatively charged boron-vacancy ([Formula: see text]) centers in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) with varying defect density. By employing advanced dynamical decoupling sequences to selectively isolate different dephasing sources, we observe more than 5-fold improvement in the measured coherence times across all hBN samples. Crucially, we identify that the many-body interaction within the [Formula: see text] ensemble plays a substantial role in the coherent dynamics, which is then used to directly estimate the concentration of [Formula: see text]. We find that at high ion implantation dosage, only a small portion of the created boron vacancy defects are in the desired negatively charged state. Finally, we investigate the spin response of [Formula: see text] to the local charged defects induced electric field signals, and estimate its ground state transverse electric field susceptibility. Our results provide new insights on the spin and charge properties of [Formula: see text], which are important for future use of defects in hBN as quantum sensors and simulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruotian Gong
- Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Guanghui He
- Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Xingyu Gao
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Peng Ju
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Zhongyuan Liu
- Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Bingtian Ye
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Erik A Henriksen
- Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Tongcang Li
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
- Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Chong Zu
- Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
- Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
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Bianco F, Corte E, Ditalia Tchernij S, Forneris J, Fabbri F. Engineering Multicolor Radiative Centers in hBN Flakes by Varying the Electron Beam Irradiation Parameters. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:739. [PMID: 36839108 PMCID: PMC9960900 DOI: 10.3390/nano13040739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Recently, hBN has become an interesting platform for quantum optics due to the peculiar defect-related luminescence properties. In this work, multicolor radiative emissions are engineered and tailored by position-controlled low-energy electron irradiation. Varying the irradiation parameters, such as the electron beam energy and/or area dose, we are able to induce light emissions at different wavelengths in the green-red range. In particular, the 10 keV and 20 keV irradiation levels induce the appearance of broad emission in the orange-red range (600-660 nm), while 15 keV gives rise to a sharp emission in the green range (535 nm). The cumulative dose density increase demonstrates the presence of a threshold value. The overcoming of the threshold, which is different for each electron beam energy level, causes the generation of non-radiative recombination pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Bianco
- NEST Laboratory, Istituto Nanoscienze-CNR and Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza San Silvestro 12, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Emilio Corte
- Physics Department, University of Torino and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare Sez. Torino, Via P. Giuria 11, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Sviatoslav Ditalia Tchernij
- Physics Department, University of Torino and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare Sez. Torino, Via P. Giuria 11, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Jacopo Forneris
- Physics Department, University of Torino and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare Sez. Torino, Via P. Giuria 11, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Filippo Fabbri
- NEST Laboratory, Istituto Nanoscienze-CNR and Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza San Silvestro 12, 56127 Pisa, Italy
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