1
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Prasad MK, Taverne MPC, Huang CC, Mar JD, Ho YLD. Hexagonal Boron Nitride Based Photonic Quantum Technologies. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 17:4122. [PMID: 39203299 PMCID: PMC11356713 DOI: 10.3390/ma17164122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024]
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride is rapidly gaining interest as a platform for photonic quantum technologies, due to its two-dimensional nature and its ability to host defects deep within its large band gap that may act as room-temperature single-photon emitters. In this review paper we provide an overview of (1) the structure, properties, growth and transfer of hexagonal boron nitride; (2) the creationof colour centres in hexagonal boron nitride and assignment of defects by comparison with ab initio calculations for applications in photonic quantum technologies; and (3) heterostructure devices for the electrical tuning and charge control of colour centres that form the basis for photonic quantum technology devices. The aim of this review is to provide readers a summary of progress in both defect engineering and device fabrication in hexagonal boron nitride based photonic quantum technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhava Krishna Prasad
- Joint Quantum Centre (JQC) Durham-Newcastle, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK;
| | - Mike P. C. Taverne
- Department of Mathematics, Physics & Electrical Engineering, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK; (M.P.C.T.); (Y.-L.D.H.)
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK
| | - Chung-Che Huang
- Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Jonathan D. Mar
- Joint Quantum Centre (JQC) Durham-Newcastle, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK;
| | - Ying-Lung Daniel Ho
- Department of Mathematics, Physics & Electrical Engineering, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK; (M.P.C.T.); (Y.-L.D.H.)
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK
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2
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Shamsi A. Two-dimensional Cu-doped G/h-BN/G heterostructures for highly sensitive gas detection: an ab initio study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:21074-21086. [PMID: 39054920 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp01645a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Two-dimensional materials like graphene and h-BN have drawn significant interest for gas sensing applications due to their high surface-to-volume ratio and exceptional physical properties. This study introduces a novel approach involving a 2-D G/h-BN/G heterostructure doped with a Cu atom to develop a highly sensitive gas sensor. The intermediate h-BN layers support the Cu dopant and enhance the electrical sensitivity by constraining the offset current. Density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green's function formalisms are employed to investigate the geometry, stability, and electrical properties of the G/h-BN/G structure with the Cu dopant at various vacancy sites, alongside exploring the adsorption behavior of six different gas molecules (NO2, CO, NH3, PH3, HCN, and HO2). Results reveal that doping Cu in the B vacancy and the Stone-Wales defect yields highly stable structures with promising electrical characteristics for gas sensing applications. Gas molecules exhibit a higher tendency to adsorb onto the Cu-doped structure compared to the pristine G/h-BN/G, demonstrating a stronger impact on current flow. The Cu-doped structures display robust electrical sensitivity toward NO2, CO, NH3, and HCN molecules, and the significant gap in current modulation for each gas indicates the potential for distinguishing different gas molecules. Hence, incorporating the Cu dopant in the G/h-BN/G heterostructures emerges as a promising platform for gas sensing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Shamsi
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Shahid Sattari Aeronautical University of Science and Technology, 13846-63113, Tehran, Iran.
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3
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Kretzschmar T, Ritter S, Kumar A, Vogl T, Eilenberger F, Schmidt F. Quantitative Investigation of Quantum Emitter Yield in Drop-Casted Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanoflakes. ACS APPLIED OPTICAL MATERIALS 2024; 2:1427-1435. [PMID: 39086657 PMCID: PMC11287792 DOI: 10.1021/acsaom.4c00200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Single photon emitters (SPEs) are a key component for their use as pure photon source in quantum technologies. In this study, we investigate the generation of SPEs from drop-casted hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) nanoflakes, examining the influence of the immersion solution and the source of hBN. We show that, depending on the utilized supplier and solution, the number and quality of the emitters change. We perform a comprehensive optical characterization of the deposited nanoflakes to assess the quality of the generated SPEs. Importantly, we provide quantitative data on SPE yields, highlighting significant variations among solvents and different sources of hBN. We find that hBN from Merck drop-casted in acetone provided the best quality emitters with a g (2) < 0.1 and photoluminescence intensities above 300 kCounts/s. Their number of SPEs among all photon emitters was also the highest, with about 14%, rendering a total yield of about 1.25% of all drop-casted flakes. These numbers hold particular significance when evaluating drop-casting as a practical method for the generation of SPEs and their deposition and incorporation within existing nanophotonic systems. By choosing appropriate solvents and source materials' quality and yield of SPEs can be significantly increased, showcasing further optimization potential for the development of future quantum applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Kretzschmar
- Institute
of Applied Physics, Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich-Schiller-University, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ritter
- Institute
of Applied Physics, Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich-Schiller-University, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Anand Kumar
- Institute
of Applied Physics, Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich-Schiller-University, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Department
of Computer Engineering, School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University Munich, D-80333 Munich, Germany
- Munich
Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST), D-80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Vogl
- Institute
of Applied Physics, Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich-Schiller-University, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Department
of Computer Engineering, School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University Munich, D-80333 Munich, Germany
- Munich
Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST), D-80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Falk Eilenberger
- Institute
of Applied Physics, Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich-Schiller-University, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Fraunhofer
Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Max
Planck School of Photonics, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Falko Schmidt
- Institute
of Applied Physics, Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich-Schiller-University, D-07745 Jena, Germany
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4
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Zhang C, Gong Z, He D, Yan Y, Li S, Zhao K, Wang J, Wang Y, Zhang X. Research Progress of Single-Photon Emitters Based on Two-Dimensional Materials. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 14:918. [PMID: 38869543 PMCID: PMC11173489 DOI: 10.3390/nano14110918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
From quantum communications to quantum computing, single-photon emitters (SPEs) are essential components of numerous quantum technologies. Two-dimensional (2D) materials have especially been found to be highly attractive for the research into nanoscale light-matter interactions. In particular, localized photonic states at their surfaces have attracted great attention due to their enormous potential applications in quantum optics. Recently, SPEs have been achieved in various 2D materials, while the challenges still remain. This paper reviews the recent research progress on these SPEs based on various 2D materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), and twisted-angle 2D materials. Additionally, we summarized the strategies to create, position, enhance, and tune the emission wavelength of these emitters by introducing external fields into these 2D system. For example, pronounced enhancement of the SPEs' properties can be achieved by coupling with external fields, such as the plasmonic field, and by locating in optical microcavities. Finally, this paper also discusses current challenges and offers perspectives that could further stimulate scientific research in this field. These emitters, due to their unique physical properties and integration potential, are highly appealing for applications in quantum information and communication, as well as other physical and technological fields.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yongsheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Optical Information, Ministry of Education, Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, School of Physical Science and Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China; (C.Z.); (Z.G.); (D.H.); (Y.Y.); (S.L.); (K.Z.); (J.W.)
| | - Xiaoxian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Optical Information, Ministry of Education, Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, School of Physical Science and Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China; (C.Z.); (Z.G.); (D.H.); (Y.Y.); (S.L.); (K.Z.); (J.W.)
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5
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Kumar A, Samaner Ç, Cholsuk C, Matthes T, Paçal S, Oyun Y, Zand A, Chapman RJ, Saerens G, Grange R, Suwanna S, Ateş S, Vogl T. Polarization Dynamics of Solid-State Quantum Emitters. ACS NANO 2024. [PMID: 38335970 PMCID: PMC10883057 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c08940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Quantum emitters in solid-state crystals have recently attracted a great deal of attention due to their simple applicability in optical quantum technologies. The polarization of single photons generated by quantum emitters is one of the key parameters that plays a crucial role in various applications, such as quantum computation, which uses the indistinguishability of photons. However, the degree of single-photon polarization is typically quantified using the time-averaged photoluminescence intensity of single emitters, which provides limited information about the dipole properties in solids. In this work, we use single defects in hexagonal boron nitride and nanodiamond as efficient room-temperature single-photon sources to reveal the origin and temporal evolution of the dipole orientation in solid-state quantum emitters. The angles of the excitation and emission dipoles relative to the crystal axes were determined experimentally and then calculated using density functional theory, which resulted in characteristic angles for every specific defect that can be used as an efficient tool for defect identification and understanding their atomic structure. Moreover, the temporal polarization dynamics revealed a strongly modified linear polarization visibility that depends on the excited-state decay time of the individual excitation. This effect can potentially be traced back to the excitation of excess charges in the local crystal environment. Understanding such hidden time-dependent mechanisms can further improve the performance of polarization-sensitive experiments, particularly that for quantum communication with single-photon emitters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Kumar
- Department of Computer Engineering, School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany
- Abbe Center of Photonics, Institute of Applied Physics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Çağlar Samaner
- Department of Physics, İzmir Institute of Technology, 35430 İzmir, Turkey
| | - Chanaprom Cholsuk
- Department of Computer Engineering, School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany
- Abbe Center of Photonics, Institute of Applied Physics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Tjorben Matthes
- Department of Computer Engineering, School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany
- Abbe Center of Photonics, Institute of Applied Physics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Serkan Paçal
- Department of Physics, İzmir Institute of Technology, 35430 İzmir, Turkey
| | - Yağız Oyun
- Department of Photonics, İzmir Institute of Technology, 35430 İzmir, Turkey
| | - Ashkan Zand
- Department of Computer Engineering, School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany
- Abbe Center of Photonics, Institute of Applied Physics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Robert J Chapman
- Optical Nanomaterial Group, Institute for Quantum Electronics, Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Grégoire Saerens
- Optical Nanomaterial Group, Institute for Quantum Electronics, Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Rachel Grange
- Optical Nanomaterial Group, Institute for Quantum Electronics, Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sujin Suwanna
- Optical and Quantum Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, 10400 Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Serkan Ateş
- Department of Physics, İzmir Institute of Technology, 35430 İzmir, Turkey
| | - Tobias Vogl
- Department of Computer Engineering, School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany
- Abbe Center of Photonics, Institute of Applied Physics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07745 Jena, Germany
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6
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Zhong D, Gao S, Saccone M, Greer JR, Bernardi M, Nadj-Perge S, Faraon A. Carbon-Related Quantum Emitter in Hexagonal Boron Nitride with Homogeneous Energy and 3-Fold Polarization. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:1106-1113. [PMID: 38240528 PMCID: PMC10835729 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c03628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Most hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) single-photon emitters (SPEs) studied to date suffer from variable emission energy and unpredictable polarization, two crucial obstacles to their application in quantum technologies. Here, we report an SPE in hBN with an energy of 2.2444 ± 0.0013 eV created via carbon implantation that exhibits a small inhomogeneity of the emission energy. Polarization-resolved measurements reveal aligned absorption and emission dipole orientations with a 3-fold distribution, which follows the crystal symmetry. Photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectroscopy results show the predictability of polarization is associated with a reproducible PLE band, in contrast with the non-reproducible bands found in previous hBN SPE species. Photon correlation measurements are consistent with a three-level model with weak coupling to a shelving state. Our ab initio excited-state calculations shed light on the atomic origin of this SPE defect, which consists of a pair of substitutional carbon atoms located at boron and nitrogen sites separated by a hexagonal unit cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ding Zhong
- Thomas J. Watson, Sr., Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
- Kavli Nanoscience Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
- Institute for Quantum Information and Matter, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Shiyuan Gao
- Department of Applied Physics and Material Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Max Saccone
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Julia R Greer
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Marco Bernardi
- Department of Applied Physics and Material Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Stevan Nadj-Perge
- Thomas J. Watson, Sr., Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
- Institute for Quantum Information and Matter, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Andrei Faraon
- Thomas J. Watson, Sr., Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
- Kavli Nanoscience Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
- Institute for Quantum Information and Matter, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
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7
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Dhu-Al Shaik AB, Palla P, Jenkins D. Electrical tuning of quantum light emitters in hBN for free space and telecom optical bands. Sci Rep 2024; 14:811. [PMID: 38191916 PMCID: PMC10774371 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51504-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Quantum light emitters (also known as single photon emitters) are known to be the heart of quantum information technologies. Irrespective of possessing ideal single photon emitter properties, quantum emitters in 2-D hBN defect structures, exhibit constrained quantum light emission within the 300-700 nm range. However, this emission range cannot fully satisfy the needs of an efficient quantum communication applications such as quantum key distribution (QKD), which demands the quantum light emission in fiber optic telecom wavelength bands (from 1260 to 1625 nm) and the free space optical (FSO) (UV-C-solar blind band-100 to 280 nm) wavelength ranges. Hence, there is a necessity to tune the quantum light emission into these two bands. However, the most promising technique to tune the quantum light emitters in hBN here, is still a matter of debate and till date there is no experimental and theoretical assurances. Hence, this work will focus on one of the most promising simple techniques known as Stark electrical tuning of the quantum light emission of hBN defect structures (NBVN, VB, CB, CBVN, CBCN, CBCNCBCN complex, and VBO2). These hBN defects are designed and sandwiched as metal/graphene/hBN defect structure/graphene/metal heterostructure and electrically tuned towards FSO and fiber optic bands (tuning range from UV-C to O-band IR region) region, using constrained DFT computations. The external electric field predicted to yield an atomic bond angle tilt associated with this point defect structure creates out-of-plane dipole moments, enabling the tuning of quantum emission. This electrical tuning technique leads to a simple passive photonic component which enables easier compatibility with quantum circuits and it is found to be one of the perfect alternative solutions, which does not require much external hardware setup to implement as compared to earlier published strain induced tuning experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akbar Basha Dhu-Al Shaik
- Department of Micro and Nanoelectronics, School of Electronics Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India
| | - Penchalaiah Palla
- Department of Micro and Nanoelectronics, School of Electronics Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India.
| | - David Jenkins
- School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, England, UK
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8
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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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9
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Ronceray N, You Y, Glushkov E, Lihter M, Rehl B, Chen TH, Nam GH, Borza F, Watanabe K, Taniguchi T, Roke S, Keerthi A, Comtet J, Radha B, Radenovic A. Liquid-activated quantum emission from pristine hexagonal boron nitride for nanofluidic sensing. NATURE MATERIALS 2023; 22:1236-1242. [PMID: 37652991 PMCID: PMC10533396 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-023-01658-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Liquids confined down to the atomic scale can show radically new properties. However, only indirect and ensemble measurements operate in such extreme confinement, calling for novel optical approaches that enable direct imaging at the molecular level. Here we harness fluorescence originating from single-photon emitters at the surface of hexagonal boron nitride for molecular imaging and sensing in nanometrically confined liquids. The emission originates from the chemisorption of organic solvent molecules onto native surface defects, revealing single-molecule dynamics at the interface through the spatially correlated activation of neighbouring defects. Emitter spectra further offer a direct readout of the local dielectric properties, unveiling increasing dielectric order under nanometre-scale confinement. Liquid-activated native hexagonal boron nitride defects bridge the gap between solid-state nanophotonics and nanofluidics, opening new avenues for nanoscale sensing and optofluidics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Ronceray
- Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), School of Engineering (STI), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Laboratory for Fundamental BioPhotonics, Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), School of Engineering (STI), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Yi You
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- National Graphene Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Evgenii Glushkov
- Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), School of Engineering (STI), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Martina Lihter
- Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), School of Engineering (STI), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Physics, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Benjamin Rehl
- Laboratory for Fundamental BioPhotonics, Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), School of Engineering (STI), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tzu-Heng Chen
- Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), School of Engineering (STI), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gwang-Hyeon Nam
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- National Graphene Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Fanny Borza
- Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), School of Engineering (STI), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kenji Watanabe
- Research Center for Electronic and Optical Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Takashi Taniguchi
- Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Sylvie Roke
- Laboratory for Fundamental BioPhotonics, Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), School of Engineering (STI), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ashok Keerthi
- National Graphene Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jean Comtet
- Soft Matter Sciences and Engineering, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Boya Radha
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- National Graphene Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Aleksandra Radenovic
- Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering (IBI), School of Engineering (STI), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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10
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Yadav V, Mohanty T. Tuning the electron-phonon interaction via exploring the interrelation between Urbach energy and fano-type asymmetric raman line shape in GO-hBN nanocomposites. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 34:495204. [PMID: 37751277 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/acf6c3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), having an in-plane hexagonal structure in the sp2arrangement of atoms, proclaims structural similarity with graphene with only a small lattice mismatch. Despite having nearly identical atomic arrangements and exhibiting almost identical properties, the electronic structures of the two materials are fundamentally different. Considering the aforementioned condition, a new hybrid material with enhanced properties can be evolved by combining both materials. This experiment involves liquid phase exfoliation of hBN and two-dimensional nanocomposites of GO-hBN with varying hBN and graphene oxide (GO) ratios. The optical and vibrational studies conducted using UV-vis absorption and Raman spectroscopic analysis report the tuning of electron-phonon interaction (EPI) in the GO-hBN nanocomposite as a function of GO content (%). This interaction depends on disorder-induced electronic and vibrational modifications addressed by Urbach energy (Eu) and asymmetry parameter (q), respectively. The EPI contribution to the induced disorders estimated from UV-vis absorption spectra is represented as EPI strength (Ee-p) and its impact observed in Raman phonon modes is quantified as an asymmetry parameter (q). The inverse of the asymmetry parameter is related toEe-p, asEe-p∼ 1/|q|. Here in this article, a linear relationship has been established betweenEuand the proportional parameter (k), wherekis determined as the ratio of the intensity of specific Raman mode (I) andq2, explaining the disorders' effect on Raman line shape. Thus a correlation between Urbach energy and the asymmetry parameter of Raman mode confirms the tuning of EPI with GO content (%) in GO-hBN nanocomposite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidyotma Yadav
- School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Tanuja Mohanty
- School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
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11
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Bui TA, Leuthner GT, Madsen J, Monazam MRA, Chirita AI, Postl A, Mangler C, Kotakoski J, Susi T. Creation of Single Vacancies in hBN with Electron Irradiation. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2301926. [PMID: 37259696 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202301926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Understanding electron irradiation effects is vital not only for reliable transmission electron microscopy characterization, but increasingly also for the controlled manipulation of 2D materials. The displacement cross sections of monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are measured using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy in near ultra-high vacuum at primary beam energies between 50 and 90 keV. Damage rates below 80 keV are up to three orders of magnitude lower than previously measured at edges under poorer residual vacuum conditions, where chemical etching appears to dominate. Notably, it is possible to create single vacancies in hBN using electron irradiation, with boron almost twice as likely as nitrogen to be ejected below 80 keV. Moreover, any damage at such low energies cannot be explained by elastic knock-on, even when accounting for the vibrations of the atoms. A theoretical description is developed to account for the lowering of the displacement threshold due to valence ionization resulting from inelastic scattering of probe electrons, modeled using charge-constrained density functional theory molecular dynamics. Although significant reductions are found depending on the constrained charge, quantitative predictions for realistic ionization states are currently not possible. Nonetheless, there is potential for defect-engineering of hBN at the level of single vacancies using electron irradiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuy An Bui
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, Boltzmanngasse 5, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - Gregor T Leuthner
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, Boltzmanngasse 5, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - Jacob Madsen
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, Boltzmanngasse 5, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - Mohammad R A Monazam
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, Boltzmanngasse 5, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - Alexandru I Chirita
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, Boltzmanngasse 5, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - Andreas Postl
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, Boltzmanngasse 5, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - Clemens Mangler
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, Boltzmanngasse 5, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - Jani Kotakoski
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, Boltzmanngasse 5, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - Toma Susi
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics, Boltzmanngasse 5, Vienna, 1090, Austria
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12
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Neumann M, Wei X, Morales-Inostroza L, Song S, Lee SG, Watanabe K, Taniguchi T, Götzinger S, Lee YH. Organic Molecules as Origin of Visible-Range Single Photon Emission from Hexagonal Boron Nitride and Mica. ACS NANO 2023. [PMID: 37276077 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c02348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of room-temperature single-photon emitters (SPEs) hosted by two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (2D hBN) has sparked intense research interest. Although emitters in the vicinity of 2 eV have been studied extensively, their microscopic identity has remained elusive. The discussion of this class of SPEs has centered on point defects in the hBN crystal lattice, but none of the candidate defect structures have been able to capture the great heterogeneity in emitter properties that is observed experimentally. Employing a widely used sample preparation protocol but disentangling several confounding factors, we demonstrate conclusively that heterogeneous single-photon emission at ∼2 eV associated with hBN originates from organic molecules, presumably aromatic fluorophores. The appearance of those SPEs depends critically on the presence of organic processing residues during sample preparation, and emitters formed during heat treatment are not located within the hBN crystal as previously thought, but at the hBN/substrate interface. We further demonstrate that the same class of SPEs can be observed in a different 2D insulator, fluorophlogopite mica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Neumann
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Xu Wei
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Seunghyun Song
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Electronics Engineering, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul 04310, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Gyu Lee
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Kenji Watanabe
- Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan
| | - Takashi Taniguchi
- International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan
| | - Stephan Götzinger
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies (SAOT), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), D-91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Young Hee Lee
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
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13
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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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14
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Korona T, Jankowska J, Masoumifeshani E. Dicarbon defect in hexagonal boron nitride monolayer—a theoretical study. CAN J CHEM 2023. [DOI: 10.1139/cjc-2022-0291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
A comprehensive theoretical study of the lowest electronic vertical excitations of the CBCN defect in the monolayer of hexagonal boron nitride has been performed. Both the periodic boundary conditions approach and the finite-cluster simulation of the defect have been utilized at the density-functional theory (DFT) level. Clusters of increasing sizes have been used in order to estimate artefacts resulting from edge effects. The stability of the results with respect to several density functionals and various basis sets has been also examined. High-level ab initio calculations with methods like equation-of-motion coupled cluster method with single and double excitations (EOM-CCSD), algebraic-diagrammatic construction to the second order (ADC(2)), and time-dependent approximate coupled cluster theory to the second order (TD-CC2) were performed for the smallest clusters. It turns out that TD-DFT with the CAM-B3LYP functional gives similar lowest excitation energies as EOM-CCSD, ADC(2), and TD-CC2. The lowest excitation energies resulting from the periodic-boundary calculation utilizing the Bethe–Salpeter equation are in agreement with the results for finite clusters. The analysis of important configurations and transition densities shows that for all studied methods, the lowest excited state is localized on two carbon atoms and their closest neighbours and has a large dipole transition moment. The optimized geometries for the lowest two excited states indicate that in both cases, the carbon–carbon bond becomes a single bond, while for the second excited state, additionally one from boron–nitrogen bonds loses its partially double character. The calculation of the excitation energies at the respective optimal geometry reveals that these two energies become about 0.5 eV lower than vertical excitations from the ground-state geometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Korona
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02-093, Poland
| | - Joanna Jankowska
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02-093, Poland
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15
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Strain tunable quantum emission from atomic defects in hexagonal boron nitride for telecom-bands. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21673. [PMID: 36522379 PMCID: PMC9755526 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26061-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This study presents extending the tunability of 2D hBN Quantum emitters towards telecom (C-band - 1530 to 1560 nm) and UV-C (solar blind - 100 to 280 nm) optical bands using external strain inducements, for long- and short-range quantum communication (Quantum key distribution (QKD)) applications, respectively. Quantum emitters are the basic building blocks of this QKD (quantum communication or information) technologies, which need to emit single photons over room temperature and capable of tuning the emission wavelength to the above necessary range. Recent literature revealed that quantum emitters in 2D hBN only has the ability to withstand at elevated temperatures and aggressive annealing treatments, but density functional theory (DFT) predictions stated that hBN can only emit the single photons from around 290 to 900 nm (UV to near-IR regions) range. So, there is a need to engineer and further tune the emission wavelength of hBN quantum emitters to the above said bands (necessary for efficient QKD implementation). One of the solutions to tune the emission wavelength is by inducing external strain. In this work, we examine the tunability of quantum emission in hBN with point defects by inducing three different normal strains using DFT computations. We obtained the tunability range up to 255 nm and 1589.5 nm, for the point defects viz boron mono vacancies (VB) and boron mono vacancies with oxygen atoms (VBO2) respectively, which can enhance the successful implementation of the efficient QKD. We also examine the tunability of the other defects viz. nitrogen mono vacancies, nitrogen mono vacancy with self-interstitials, nitrogen mono vacancy with carbon interstitials, carbon dimers and boron dangling bonds, which revealed the tunable quantum emission in the visible, other UV and IR spectrum ranges and such customized quantum emission can enhance the birth of other quantum photonic devices.
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16
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Aharonovich I, Tetienne JP, Toth M. Quantum Emitters in Hexagonal Boron Nitride. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:9227-9235. [PMID: 36413674 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c03743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has emerged as a fascinating platform to explore quantum emitters and their applications. Beyond being a wide-bandgap material, it is also a van der Waals crystal, enabling direct exfoliation of atomically thin layers─a combination which offers unique advantages over bulk, 3D crystals. In this Mini Review we discuss the unique properties of hBN quantum emitters and highlight progress toward their future implementation in practical devices. We focus on engineering and integration of the emitters with scalable photonic resonators. We also highlight recently discovered spin defects in hBN and discuss their potential utility for quantum sensing. All in all, hBN has become a front runner in explorations of solid-state quantum science with promising future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | | | - 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, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
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17
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Torres-Davila FE, Molinari M, Blair RG, Rochdi N, Tetard L. Enhancing Infrared Light-Matter Interaction for Deterministic and Tunable Nanomachining of Hexagonal Boron Nitride. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:8196-8202. [PMID: 36122311 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c02841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Tailoring two-dimensional (2D) materials functionalities is closely intertwined with defect engineering. Conventional methods do not offer the necessary control to locally introduce and study defects in 2D materials, especially in non-vacuum environments. Here, an infrared pulsed laser focused under the metallic tip of an atomic force microscope cantilever is used to create nanoscale defects in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and to subsequently investigate the induced lattice distortions by means of nanoscale infrared (nano-IR) spectroscopy. The effects of incoming light power, exposure time, and environmental conditions on the defected regions are considered. Nano-IR spectra complement the morphology maps by revealing changes in lattice vibrations that distinguish the defects formed under various environments. This work introduces versatile experimental avenues to trigger and probe local reactions that functionalize 2D materials through defect creation with a higher level of precision for applications in sensing, catalysis, optoelectronics, quantum computing, and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernand E Torres-Davila
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States
- Physics Department, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32816, United States
| | - Michael Molinari
- Institute of Chemistry and Biology of Membranes and Nano-objects (CBMN), CNRS UMR 5248, IPB, Université de Bordeaux, 33607 Pessac, France
| | - Richard G Blair
- Florida Space Institute, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States
- Renewable Energy and Chemical Transformations Cluster (REACT), University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32816, United States
| | - Nabil Rochdi
- Laboratory of Innovative Materials, Energy and Sustainable Development (IMED-Lab), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
| | - Laurene Tetard
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States
- Physics Department, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32816, United States
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18
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Akbari H, Biswas S, Jha PK, Wong J, Vest B, Atwater HA. Lifetime-Limited and Tunable Quantum Light Emission in h-BN via Electric Field Modulation. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:7798-7803. [PMID: 36154175 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c02163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Color-center-based single-photon emitters in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) have shown promising photophysical properties as sources for quantum light emission. Despite significant advances toward such a goal, achieving lifetime-limited quantum light emission in h-BN has proven to be challenging, primarily due to various broadening mechanisms, including spectral diffusion. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate suppression of spectral diffusion by applying an electrostatic field. We observe both Stark shift tuning of the resonant emission wavelength and emission line width reduction (down to 89 MHz) nearly to the homogeneously broadened lifetime limit. Finally, we find a cubic dependence of the line width with respect to temperature at the homogeneous broadening regime. Our results suggest that field tuning in electrostatically gated heterostructures is promising as an approach to control the emission characteristics of h-BN color centers, removing spectral diffusion and providing the energy tunability necessary for integrate of quantum light emission in nanophotonic architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamidreza Akbari
- Thomas J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91106, United States
| | - Souvik Biswas
- Thomas J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91106, United States
| | - Pankaj Kumar Jha
- Thomas J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91106, United States
| | - Joeson Wong
- Thomas J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91106, United States
| | - Benjamin Vest
- Thomas J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91106, United States
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut d'Optique Graduate School, CNRS, Laboratoire Charles Fabry, 91127 Palaiseau, France
| | - Harry A Atwater
- Thomas J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91106, United States
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19
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Liu W, Ivády V, Li ZP, Yang YZ, Yu S, Meng Y, Wang ZA, Guo NJ, Yan FF, Li Q, Wang JF, Xu JS, Liu X, Zhou ZQ, Dong Y, Chen XD, Sun FW, Wang YT, Tang JS, Gali A, Li CF, Guo GC. Coherent dynamics of multi-spin V[Formula: see text] center in hexagonal boron nitride. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5713. [PMID: 36175507 PMCID: PMC9522675 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33399-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has recently been demonstrated to contain optically polarized and detected electron spins that can be utilized for implementing qubits and quantum sensors in nanolayered-devices. Understanding the coherent dynamics of microwave driven spins in hBN is of crucial importance for advancing these emerging new technologies. Here, we demonstrate and study the Rabi oscillation and related phenomena of a negatively charged boron vacancy (V[Formula: see text]) spin ensemble in hBN. We report on different dynamics of the V[Formula: see text] spins at weak and strong magnetic fields. In the former case the defect behaves like a single electron spin system, while in the latter case it behaves like a multi-spin system exhibiting multiple-frequency dynamical oscillation as beat in the Ramsey fringes. We also carry out theoretical simulations for the spin dynamics of V[Formula: see text] and reveal that the nuclear spins can be driven via the strong electron nuclear coupling existing in V[Formula: see text] center, which can be modulated by the magnetic field and microwave field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Viktor Ivády
- Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme, Nöthnitzer Street 38, D-01187 Dresden, Germany
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
- Wigner Research Centre for Physics, PO Box 49, H-1525 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zhi-Peng Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Yuan-Ze Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Shang Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Yu Meng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Zhao-An Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Nai-Jie Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Fei-Fei Yan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Qiang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Jun-Feng Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Jin-Shi Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Xiao Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Zong-Quan Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Yang Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Xiang-Dong Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Fang-Wen Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Yi-Tao Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Jian-Shun Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Adam Gali
- Wigner Research Centre for Physics, PO Box 49, H-1525 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Atomic Physics, Institute of Physics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Műegyetem rakpart 3., H-1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Chuan-Feng Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
| | - Guang-Can Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P. R. China
- CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
- Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230088 China
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20
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Gan L, Zhang D, Zhang R, Zhang Q, Sun H, Li Y, Ning CZ. Large-Scale, High-Yield Laser Fabrication of Bright and Pure Single-Photon Emitters at Room Temperature in Hexagonal Boron Nitride. ACS NANO 2022; 16:14254-14261. [PMID: 35981092 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c04386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Single-photon emitters (SPEs) play an important role in many optical quantum technologies. However, an efficient large-scale approach to the generation of high-quality SPE arrays remains an elusive goal at room temperature. Here, we demonstrate a scalable method of generating SPE arrays in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) with high yield, brightness, and purity using single-pulse irradiation by a femtosecond laser. Our use of a single pulse per defect pattern minimized heat-related damages and improved the purity of SPEs compared with the previous laser-based approaches. Under the optimized fabrication and post-treatment conditions, SPE arrays were successfully generated from the 3.0 μm defect patterns with 43% yield, the highest among the 2D-based top-down approaches. Importantly, we found that 100% of the bright defect patterns are SPEs with g2(0) < 0.5 under such conditions, with the lowest g2(0) = 0.06 ± 0.03. Our SPEs also exhibit the highest brightness with the saturation SPE rate at 7.15 million counts per second. We believe that our overall high-quality and large-scale approach will help a wide range of applications of SPEs in on-chip quantum technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Gan
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Frontier Science Center for Quantum Information, Beijing 100084, China
- International Center for Nano-Optoelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Danyang Zhang
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ruiling Zhang
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Qiyao Zhang
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Hao Sun
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Frontier Science Center for Quantum Information, Beijing 100084, China
- International Center for Nano-Optoelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yongzhuo Li
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Frontier Science Center for Quantum Information, Beijing 100084, China
- International Center for Nano-Optoelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Cun-Zheng Ning
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Frontier Science Center for Quantum Information, Beijing 100084, China
- International Center for Nano-Optoelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- College of Integrated Circuits and Optoelectronic Chips, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China
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21
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Dogan M, Cohen ML. Magnetism and interlayer bonding in pores of Bernal-stacked hexagonal boron nitride. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:20882-20890. [PMID: 36043383 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp02624d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
When single-layer h-BN is subjected to a high-energy electron beam, triangular pores with nitrogen edges are formed. Because of the broken sp2 bonds, these pores are known to possess magnetic states. We report on the magnetism and electronic structure of triangular pores as a function of their size. Moreover, in the Bernal-stacked h-BN (AB-h-BN), multilayer pores with parallel edges can be created, which is not possible in the commonly fabricated multilayer AA'-h-BN. Given that these pores can be manufactured in a well-controlled fashion using an electron beam, it is important to understand the interactions of pores in neighboring layers. We find that in certain configurations, the edges of the neighboring pores remain open and retain their magnetism, and in others, they form interlayer bonds. We present a comprehensive report on these configurations for small nanopores. We find that at low temperatures, these pores have near degenerate magnetic configurations, and may be utilized in magnetoresistance and spintronics applications. In the process of forming larger multilayer nanopores, interlayer bonds can form, reducing the magnetization. Yet, unbonded parallel multilayer edges remain available at all sizes. Understanding these pores is also helpful in a multitude of applications such as DNA sequencing and quantum emission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Dogan
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. .,Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Marvin L Cohen
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. .,Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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22
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Klaiss R, Ziegler J, Miller D, Zappitelli K, Watanabe K, Taniguchi T, Alemán B. Uncovering the morphological effects of high-energy Ga + focused ion beam milling on hBN single-photon emitter fabrication. J Chem Phys 2022; 157:074703. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0097581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Many techniques to fabricate complex nanostructures and quantum emitting defects in low dimensional materials for quantum information technologies rely on the patterning capabilities of focused ion beam (FIB) systems. In particular, the ability to pattern arrays of bright and stable room temperature single-photon emitters (SPEs) in 2D wide-bandgap insulator hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) via high-energy heavy-ion FIB allows for direct placement of SPEs without structured substrates or polymer-reliant lithography steps. However, the process parameters needed to create hBN SPEs with this technique are dependent on the growth method of the material chosen. Moreover, morphological damage induced by high-energy heavy-ion exposure may further influence the successful creation of SPEs. In this work, we perform atomic force microscopy to characterize the surface morphology of hBN regions patterned by Ga+ FIB to create SPEs at a range of ion doses and find that material swelling, and not milling as expected, is most strongly and positively correlated with the onset of non-zero SPE yields. Furthermore, we simulate vacancy concentration profiles at each of the tested doses and propose a qualitative model to elucidate how Ga+ FIB patterning creates isolated SPEs that is consistent with observed optical and morphological characteristics and is dependent on the consideration of void nucleation and growth from vacancy clusters. Our results provide novel insight into the formation of hBN SPEs created by high-energy heavy-ion milling that can be leveraged for monolithic hBN photonic devices and could be applied to a wide range of low-dimensional solid-state SPE hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Klaiss
- Department of Physics, Material Science Institute, Center for Optical, Molecular, and Quantum Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA
| | - Joshua Ziegler
- Department of Physics, Material Science Institute, Center for Optical, Molecular, and Quantum Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA
| | - David Miller
- Department of Physics, Material Science Institute, Center for Optical, Molecular, and Quantum Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA
| | - Kara Zappitelli
- Department of Physics, Material Science Institute, Center for Optical, Molecular, and Quantum Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA
| | - 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
| | - Benjamín Alemán
- Department of Physics, Material Science Institute, Center for Optical, Molecular, and Quantum Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA
- Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA
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23
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Ghosh Dastidar M, Thekkooden I, Nayak PK, Praveen Bhallamudi V. Quantum emitters and detectors based on 2D van der Waals materials. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:5289-5313. [PMID: 35322836 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr08193d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Light plays an essential role in our world, with several technologies relying on it. Photons will also play an important role in the emerging quantum technologies, which are primed to have a transformative effect on our society. The development of single-photon sources and ultra-sensitive photon detectors is crucial. Solid-state emitters are being heavily pursued for developing truly single-photon sources for scalable technology. On the detectors' side, the main challenge lies in inventing sensitive detectors operating at sub-optical frequencies. This review highlights the promising research being conducted for the development of quantum emitters and detectors based on two-dimensional van der Waals (2D-vdW) materials. Several 2D-vdW materials, from canonical graphene to transition metal dichalcogenides and their heterostructures, have generated a lot of excitement due to their tunable emission and detection properties. The recent developments in the creation, fabrication and control of quantum emitters hosted by 2D-vdW materials and their potential applications in integrated photonic devices are discussed. Furthermore, the progress in enhancing the photon-counting potential of 2D material-based detectors, viz. 2D photodetectors, bolometers and superconducting single-photon detectors functioning at various wavelengths is also reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhura Ghosh Dastidar
- 2D Materials Research and Innovation Group, Micro Nano and Bio-Fluidics Group, Quantum Centers in Diamond and Emerging Materials (QuCenDiEM) Group, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India
| | - Immanuel Thekkooden
- Quantum Centers in Diamond and Emerging Materials (QuCenDiEM) Group, Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India
| | - Pramoda K Nayak
- 2D Materials Research and Innovation Group, Micro Nano and Bio-Fluidics Group, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India.
| | - Vidya Praveen Bhallamudi
- Quantum Centers in Diamond and Emerging Materials (QuCenDiEM) Group, Departments of Physics and Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India.
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24
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Glushkov E, Macha M, Räth E, Navikas V, Ronceray N, Cheon CY, Ahmed A, Avsar A, Watanabe K, Taniguchi T, Shorubalko I, Kis A, Fantner G, Radenovic A. Engineering Optically Active Defects in Hexagonal Boron Nitride Using Focused Ion Beam and Water. ACS NANO 2022; 16:3695-3703. [PMID: 35254820 PMCID: PMC8945698 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c07086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has emerged as a promising material platform for nanophotonics and quantum sensing, hosting optically active defects with exceptional properties such as high brightness and large spectral tuning. However, precise control over deterministic spatial positioning of emitters in hBN remained elusive for a long time, limiting their proper correlative characterization and applications in hybrid devices. Recently, focused ion beam (FIB) systems proved to be useful to engineer several types of spatially defined emitters with various structural and photophysical properties. Here we systematically explore the physical processes leading to the creation of optically active defects in hBN using FIB and find that beam-substrate interaction plays a key role in the formation of defects. These findings are confirmed using transmission electron microscopy, which reveals local mechanical deterioration of the hBN layers and local amorphization of ion beam irradiated hBN. Additionally, we show that, upon exposure to water, amorphized hBN undergoes a structural and optical transition between two defect types with distinctive emission properties. Moreover, using super-resolution optical microscopy combined with atomic force microscopy, we pinpoint the exact location of emitters within the defect sites, confirming the role of defected edges as primary sources of fluorescent emission. This lays the foundation for FIB-assisted engineering of optically active defects in hBN with high spatial and spectral control for applications ranging from integrated photonics, to nanoscale sensing, and to nanofluidics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenii Glushkov
- Laboratory
of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- E-mail:
| | - Michal Macha
- Laboratory
of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Esther Räth
- Laboratory
of Nano-Bio Instrumentation, Institute of
Bioengineering, EPFL, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vytautas Navikas
- Laboratory
of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nathan Ronceray
- Laboratory
of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Cheol Yeon Cheon
- Laboratory
of Nanoscale Electronics and Structures, Electrical Engineering Institute and Institute of Materials Science,
EPFL, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Aqeel Ahmed
- Laboratory
of Quantum Nano-Optics, Institute of Physics,
EPFL, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ahmet Avsar
- Laboratory
of Nanoscale Electronics and Structures, Electrical Engineering Institute and Institute of Materials Science,
EPFL, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- School of
Mathematics, Statistics and Physics, Newcastle
University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Kenji Watanabe
- National
Institute for Materials Science, 305-0044 Tsukuba, Japan
| | | | - Ivan Shorubalko
- Laboratory
for Transport at Nanoscale Interfaces, Empa−Swiss
Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Andras Kis
- Laboratory
of Nanoscale Electronics and Structures, Electrical Engineering Institute and Institute of Materials Science,
EPFL, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Georg Fantner
- Laboratory
of Nano-Bio Instrumentation, Institute of
Bioengineering, EPFL, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Aleksandra Radenovic
- Laboratory
of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- E-mail:
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25
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Saha S, Chang YC, Yang TH, Rice A, Ghosh A, You W, Crawford M, Lu TH, Lan YW, Arafin S. Sub-bandgap photoluminescence properties of multilayer h-BN-on-sapphire. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 33:215702. [PMID: 35130530 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ac5283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) materials have garnered increasing attention due to its ability of hosting intrinsic quantum point defects. This paper presents a photoluminescence (PL) mapping study related to sub-bandgap-level emission in bulk-like multilayer h-BN films. Spatial PL intensity distributions were carefully analyzed with 500 nm spatial resolution in terms of zero phonon line (ZPL) and phonon sideband (PSB) emission-peaks and their linewidths, thereby identifying the potential quantum point defects within the films. Two types of ZPL and PSB emissions were confirmed from the point defects located at the non-edge and edge of the films. Our statistical PL data from the non-edge- and edge-areas of the sample consistently reveal broad and narrow emissions, respectively. The measured optical properties of these defects and the associated ZPL peak shift and line broadening as a function of temperature between 77° and 300° K are qualitatively and quantitatively explained. Moreover, an enhancement of the photostable PL emission by at least a factor of ×3 is observed when our pristine h-BN was irradiated with a 532 nm laser.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shantanu Saha
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America
| | - Yu-Chen Chang
- Department of Physics, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 116, Taiwan
| | - Tilo Hongwei Yang
- Department of Physics, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 116, Taiwan
| | - Anthony Rice
- Sandia National Laboratories, PO Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM 87185, United States of America
| | - Arnob Ghosh
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America
| | - Weicheng You
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America
| | - Mary Crawford
- Sandia National Laboratories, PO Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM 87185, United States of America
| | - Ting-Hua Lu
- Department of Physics, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 116, Taiwan
| | - Yann-Wen Lan
- Department of Physics, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 116, Taiwan
| | - Shamsul Arafin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America
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26
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Blundo E, Surrente A, Spirito D, Pettinari G, Yildirim T, Chavarin CA, Baldassarre L, Felici M, Polimeni A. Vibrational Properties in Highly Strained Hexagonal Boron Nitride Bubbles. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:1525-1533. [PMID: 35107287 PMCID: PMC8880391 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c04197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is widely used as a protective layer for few-atom-thick crystals and heterostructures (HSs), and it hosts quantum emitters working up to room temperature. In both instances, strain is expected to play an important role, either as an unavoidable presence in the HS fabrication or as a tool to tune the quantum emitter electronic properties. Addressing the role of strain and exploiting its tuning potentiality require the development of efficient methods to control it and of reliable tools to quantify it. Here we present a technique based on hydrogen irradiation to induce the formation of wrinkles and bubbles in hBN, resulting in remarkably high strains of ∼2%. By combining infrared (IR) near-field scanning optical microscopy and micro-Raman measurements with numerical calculations, we characterize the response to strain for both IR-active and Raman-active modes, revealing the potential of the vibrational properties of hBN as highly sensitive strain probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Blundo
- Physics
Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Surrente
- Physics
Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Department
of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw 50-370, Poland
| | - Davide Spirito
- IHP-Leibniz
Institut fur Innovative Mikroelektronik, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
| | - Giorgio Pettinari
- Institute
for Photonics and Nanotechnologies (CNR-IFN), National Research Council, 00156 Rome, Italy
| | - Tanju Yildirim
- Center
for Functional Sensor & Actuator (CFSN), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
| | - Carlos Alvarado Chavarin
- IHP-Leibniz
Institut fur Innovative Mikroelektronik, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
| | - Leonetta Baldassarre
- Physics
Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- IHP-Leibniz
Institut fur Innovative Mikroelektronik, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
| | - Marco Felici
- Physics
Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Polimeni
- Physics
Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
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27
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Hu P, Wang S, Zhuo Y. Fe-Catalyzed CO 2 Adsorption over Hexagonal Boron Nitride with the Presence of H 2O. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:1056-1069. [PMID: 34974700 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c20725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The energy barrier of CO2 chemically adsorbed on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is relatively big. In order to cut down the energy barriers and facilitate fast adsorption of CO2, it is necessary to apply catalysts as a promoter. In this study, single-atom iron is introduced as the catalyst to reduce the energy barriers of CO2 adsorbed on pure/doped h-BN. Through density functional theory calculations, catalytic reaction mechanisms, stability of single-atom iron fixed on adsorbents, CO2 adsorption characteristics, and features of thermodynamics/reaction dynamics during adsorption processes are fully investigated to explain the catalytic effects of single-atom iron on CO2 chemisorption. According to calculations, when CO2 and OH- get into activated states (i.e., CO2•- and •OH) with the help of single-atom iron, their chemical activities will be promoted to a large degree, which makes the transition state (TS) energy barrier of HCO3- to decrease by 92.54%. In the meantime, it is proved that single-atom iron could be stably fixed on doped h-BN with the binding energy larger than 2 eV to achieve sustainable catalysis. With the presence of single-atom iron, TS energy barriers of CO2 adsorbed on h-BN with the presence of H2O decreased by 94.39, 78.87, and 30.63% over pure h-BN, 3C-doped h-BN, and 3N-doped h-BN, respectively. In the meantime, thermodynamic analyses indicate that TS energy barriers are mainly determined by element doping and temperatures are a little beneficial to the reduction of TS energy barriers. With the above aspects combined, the results of this study could supply crucial information for massively and quickly capturing CO2 in real industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengbo Hu
- Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Thermal Science and Power Engineering of Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Shujuan Wang
- Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Thermal Science and Power Engineering of Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
- Engineering Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Carbon Fixation of Saline-Alkaline and Desert Land, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Yuqun Zhuo
- Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Thermal Science and Power Engineering of Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
- Engineering Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Carbon Fixation of Saline-Alkaline and Desert Land, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
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28
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Kim JM, Haque MF, Hsieh EY, Nahid SM, Zarin I, Jeong KY, So JP, Park HG, Nam S. Strain Engineering of Low-Dimensional Materials for Emerging Quantum Phenomena and Functionalities. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021:e2107362. [PMID: 34866241 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202107362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Recent discoveries of exotic physical phenomena, such as unconventional superconductivity in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene, dissipationless Dirac fermions in topological insulators, and quantum spin liquids, have triggered tremendous interest in quantum materials. The macroscopic revelation of quantum mechanical effects in quantum materials is associated with strong electron-electron correlations in the lattice, particularly where materials have reduced dimensionality. Owing to the strong correlations and confined geometry, altering atomic spacing and crystal symmetry via strain has emerged as an effective and versatile pathway for perturbing the subtle equilibrium of quantum states. This review highlights recent advances in strain-tunable quantum phenomena and functionalities, with particular focus on low-dimensional quantum materials. Experimental strategies for strain engineering are first discussed in terms of heterogeneity and elastic reconfigurability of strain distribution. The nontrivial quantum properties of several strain-quantum coupled platforms, including 2D van der Waals materials and heterostructures, topological insulators, superconducting oxides, and metal halide perovskites, are next outlined, with current challenges and future opportunities in quantum straintronics followed. Overall, strain engineering of quantum phenomena and functionalities is a rich field for fundamental research of many-body interactions and holds substantial promise for next-generation electronics capable of ultrafast, dissipationless, and secure information processing and communications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Myung Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Md Farhadul Haque
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Ezekiel Y Hsieh
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Shahriar Muhammad Nahid
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Ishrat Zarin
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Kwang-Yong Jeong
- Department of Physics, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- Department of Physics, Jeju National University, Jeju, 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Pil So
- Department of Physics, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong-Gyu Park
- Department of Physics, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- Center for Molecular Spectroscopy and Dynamics, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - SungWoo Nam
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
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29
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Xu X, Martin ZO, Sychev D, Lagutchev AS, Chen YP, Taniguchi T, Watanabe K, Shalaev VM, Boltasseva A. Creating Quantum Emitters in Hexagonal Boron Nitride Deterministically on Chip-Compatible Substrates. NANO LETTERS 2021; 21:8182-8189. [PMID: 34606291 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c02640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) that hosts room-temperature single-photon emitters (SPEs) is promising for quantum information applications. An important step toward the practical application of hBN is the on-demand, position-controlled generation of SPEs. Strategies reported for deterministic creation of hBN SPEs either rely on substrate nanopatterning that is not compatible with integrated photonics or utilize radiation sources that might introduce unpredictable damage or contamination to hBN. Here, we report a radiation- and lithography-free route to deterministically activate hBN SPEs by nanoindentation with atomic force microscopy (AFM). The method applies to hBN flakes on flat silicon dioxide-silicon substrates that can be readily integrated into on-chip photonic devices. The achieved SPE yields are above 30% for multiple indent sizes, and a maximum yield of 36% is demonstrated for indents around 400 nm. Our results mark an important step toward the deterministic creation and integration of hBN SPEs with photonic and plasmonic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Xu
- School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, United States
| | - Zachariah O Martin
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, United States
| | - Demid Sychev
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, United States
| | - Alexei S Lagutchev
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, United States
| | - Yong P Chen
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Takashi Taniguchi
- National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047, Japan
| | - Kenji Watanabe
- National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047, Japan
| | - Vladimir M Shalaev
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, United States
| | - Alexandra Boltasseva
- School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, United States
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, United States
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30
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Comtet J, Rayabharam A, Glushkov E, Zhang M, Avsar A, Watanabe K, Taniguchi T, Aluru NR, Radenovic A. Anomalous interfacial dynamics of single proton charges in binary aqueous solutions. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabg8568. [PMID: 34586851 PMCID: PMC8480921 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg8568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of the dynamics of charge transfer between solid surfaces and liquid electrolytes has been hampered by the difficulties in obtaining interface, charge, and solvent-specific information at both high spatial and temporal resolution. Here, we measure at the single charge scale the dynamics of protons at the interface between an hBN crystal and binary mixtures of water and organic amphiphilic solvents (alcohols and acetone), evidencing a marked influence of solvation on interfacial dynamics. Applying single-molecule localization microscopy to emissive crystal defects, we observe correlated activation between adjacent ionizable surface defects, mediated by the transport of single excess protons along the solid/liquid interface. Solvent content has a nontrivial effect on interfacial dynamics, leading at intermediate water fraction to an increased surface diffusivity, as well as an increased affinity of the proton charges to the solid surface. Our measurements evidence the notable role of solvation on interfacial proton charge transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Comtet
- Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Soft Matter Science and Engineering, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Archith Rayabharam
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Evgenii Glushkov
- Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Miao Zhang
- Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ahmet Avsar
- School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Kenji Watanabe
- National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
| | | | - Narayana R. Aluru
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Aleksandra Radenovic
- Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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31
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Krečmarová M, Canet-Albiach R, Pashaei-Adl H, Gorji S, Muñoz-Matutano G, Nesládek M, Martínez-Pastor JP, Sánchez-Royo JF. Extrinsic Effects on the Optical Properties of Surface Color Defects Generated in Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanosheets. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:46105-46116. [PMID: 34520163 PMCID: PMC8485329 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c11060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is a wide-band gap van der Waals material able to host light-emitting centers behaving as single photon sources. Here, we report the generation of color defects in hBN nanosheets dispersed on different kinds of substrates by thermal treatment processes. The optical properties of these defects have been studied using microspectroscopy techniques and far-field simulations of their light emission. Using these techniques, we have found that subsequent ozone treatments of the deposited hBN nanosheets improve the optical emission properties of created defects, as revealed by their zero-phonon linewidth narrowing and reduction of background emission. Microlocalized color defects deposited on dielectric substrates show bright (≈1 MHz) and stable room-temperature light emission with zero-phonon line peak energy varying from 1.56 to 2.27 eV, being the most probable value 2.16 eV. In addition to this, we have observed a substrate dependence of the optical performance of the generated color defects. The energy range of the emitters prepared on gold substrates is strongly reduced, as compared to that observed in dielectric substrates or even alumina. We attribute this effect to the quenching of low-energy color defects (these of energies lower than 1.9 eV) when gold substrates are used, which reveals the surface nature of the defects created in hBN nanosheets. Results described here are important for future quantum light experiments and their integration in photonic chips.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Krečmarová
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales, Universidad de
Valencia (ICMUV), P.O. Box 22085, 46071 Valencia, Spain
| | - Rodolfo Canet-Albiach
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales, Universidad de
Valencia (ICMUV), P.O. Box 22085, 46071 Valencia, Spain
| | - Hamid Pashaei-Adl
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales, Universidad de
Valencia (ICMUV), P.O. Box 22085, 46071 Valencia, Spain
| | - Setatira Gorji
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales, Universidad de
Valencia (ICMUV), P.O. Box 22085, 46071 Valencia, Spain
| | - Guillermo Muñoz-Matutano
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales, Universidad de
Valencia (ICMUV), P.O. Box 22085, 46071 Valencia, Spain
| | - Miloš Nesládek
- Institute
for Materials Research, Material Physics
Division University of Hasselt, Wetenschapspark 1, B 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Juan P. Martínez-Pastor
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales, Universidad de
Valencia (ICMUV), P.O. Box 22085, 46071 Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan F. Sánchez-Royo
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales, Universidad de
Valencia (ICMUV), P.O. Box 22085, 46071 Valencia, Spain
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32
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Stewart JC, Fan Y, Danial JSH, Goetz A, Prasad AS, Burton OJ, Alexander-Webber JA, Lee SF, Skoff SM, Babenko V, Hofmann S. Quantum Emitter Localization in Layer-Engineered Hexagonal Boron Nitride. ACS NANO 2021; 15:13591-13603. [PMID: 34347438 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c04467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is a promising host material for room-temperature, tunable solid-state quantum emitters. A key technological challenge is deterministic and scalable spatial emitter localization, both laterally and vertically, while maintaining the full advantages of the 2D nature of the material. Here, we demonstrate emitter localization in hBN in all three dimensions via a monolayer (ML) engineering approach. We establish pretreatment processes for hBN MLs to either fully suppress or activate emission, thereby enabling such differently treated MLs to be used as select building blocks to achieve vertical (z) emitter localization at the atomic layer level. We show that emitter bleaching of ML hBN can be suppressed by sandwiching between two protecting hBN MLs, and that such thin stacks retain opportunities for external control of emission. We exploit this to achieve lateral (x-y) emitter localization via the addition of a patterned graphene mask that quenches fluorescence. Such complete emitter site localization is highly versatile, compatible with planar, scalable processing, allowing tailored approaches to addressable emitter array designs for advanced characterization, monolithic device integration, and photonic circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Callum Stewart
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 9 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Ye Fan
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 9 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - John S H Danial
- The Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Goetz
- Institute of Atomic and Subatomic Physics, Vienna University of Technology, Stadionallee 2, 1020 Vienna, Austria
| | - Adarsh S Prasad
- Institute of Atomic and Subatomic Physics, Vienna University of Technology, Stadionallee 2, 1020 Vienna, Austria
| | - Oliver J Burton
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 9 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Jack A Alexander-Webber
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 9 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Steven F Lee
- The Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah M Skoff
- Institute of Atomic and Subatomic Physics, Vienna University of Technology, Stadionallee 2, 1020 Vienna, Austria
| | - Vitaliy Babenko
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 9 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Stephan Hofmann
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 9 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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33
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Fournier C, Plaud A, Roux S, Pierret A, Rosticher M, Watanabe K, Taniguchi T, Buil S, Quélin X, Barjon J, Hermier JP, Delteil A. Position-controlled quantum emitters with reproducible emission wavelength in hexagonal boron nitride. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3779. [PMID: 34145254 PMCID: PMC8213715 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24019-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Single photon emitters (SPEs) in low-dimensional layered materials have recently gained a large interest owing to the auspicious perspectives of integration and extreme miniaturization offered by this class of materials. However, accurate control of both the spatial location and the emission wavelength of the quantum emitters is essentially lacking to date, thus hindering further technological steps towards scalable quantum photonic devices. Here, we evidence SPEs in high purity synthetic hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) that can be activated by an electron beam at chosen locations. SPE ensembles are generated with a spatial accuracy better than the cubed emission wavelength, thus opening the way to integration in optical microstructures. Stable and bright single photon emission is subsequently observed in the visible range up to room temperature upon non-resonant laser excitation. Moreover, the low-temperature emission wavelength is reproducible, with an ensemble distribution of width 3 meV, a statistical dispersion that is more than one order of magnitude lower than the narrowest wavelength spreads obtained in epitaxial hBN samples. Our findings constitute an essential step towards the realization of top-down integrated devices based on identical quantum emitters in 2D materials. Accurate control of the spatial location and the emission wavelength of single photon emitters (SPEs) in van der Waals materials is a crucial yet challenging endeavour. Here, the authors use an electron beam to generate SPE ensembles in high purity synthetic hBN with enhanced spatial accuracy and emission reproducibility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexandre Plaud
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, CNRS, GEMaC, Versailles, France
| | - Sébastien Roux
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, CNRS, GEMaC, Versailles, France
| | - Aurélie Pierret
- Laboratoire de Physique de l'École Normale Supérieure, ENS, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Michael Rosticher
- Laboratoire de Physique de l'École Normale Supérieure, ENS, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Kenji Watanabe
- Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Takashi Taniguchi
- International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Stéphanie Buil
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, CNRS, GEMaC, Versailles, France
| | - Xavier Quélin
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, CNRS, GEMaC, Versailles, France
| | - Julien Barjon
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, CNRS, GEMaC, Versailles, France
| | | | - Aymeric Delteil
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, CNRS, GEMaC, Versailles, France.
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34
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Shaik ABDAJWI, Palla P. Optical quantum technologies with hexagonal boron nitride single photon sources. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12285. [PMID: 34112837 PMCID: PMC8192930 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90804-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Single photon quantum emitters are important building blocks of optical quantum technologies. Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), an atomically thin wide band gap two dimensional material, hosts robust, optically active luminescent point defects, which are known to reduce phonon lifetimes, promises as a stable single-photon source at room temperature. In this Review, we present the recent advances in hBN quantum light emission, comparisons with other 2D material based quantum sources and analyze the performance of hBN quantum emitters. We also discuss state-of-the-art stable single photon emitter's fabrication in UV, visible and near IR regions, their activation, characterization techniques, photostability towards a wide range of operating temperatures and harsh environments, Density-functional theory predictions of possible hBN defect structures for single photon emission in UV to IR regions and applications of single photon sources in quantum communication and quantum photonic circuits with associated potential obstacles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akbar Basha Dhu-Al-Jalali-Wal-Ikram Shaik
- Center for Nanotechnology Research & Department of Micro and Nanoelectronics, School of Electronics Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India
| | - Penchalaiah Palla
- Center for Nanotechnology Research & Department of Micro and Nanoelectronics, School of Electronics Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India.
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35
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Eftekhari Z, Ghobadi A, Soydan MC, Yildirim DU, Cinel N, Ozbay E. Strong light emission from a defective hexagonal boron nitride monolayer coupled to near-touching random plasmonic nanounits. OPTICS LETTERS 2021; 46:1664-1667. [PMID: 33793513 DOI: 10.1364/ol.415475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In this Letter, we demonstrate strong light emission from defective hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) defect centers upon their coupling with disorder near-touching plasmonic units. Based on numerical simulations and characterization results, the plasmonic design at thin layer thicknesses of 20 nm can provide above 2 orders of magnitude enhancement in photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Moreover, this plasmonic platform shortens the luminescence lifetime of the emitters. The proposed design can be easily extended to other plasmonic-emitter combinations where strong light-matter interaction can be achieved using large-scale compatible routes.
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36
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Fischer M, Caridad JM, Sajid A, Ghaderzadeh S, Ghorbani-Asl M, Gammelgaard L, Bøggild P, Thygesen KS, Krasheninnikov AV, Xiao S, Wubs M, Stenger N. Controlled generation of luminescent centers in hexagonal boron nitride by irradiation engineering. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/8/eabe7138. [PMID: 33597249 PMCID: PMC7888958 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe7138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Luminescent centers in the two-dimensional material hexagonal boron nitride have the potential to enable quantum applications at room temperature. To be used for applications, it is crucial to generate these centers in a controlled manner and to identify their microscopic nature. Here, we present a method inspired by irradiation engineering with oxygen atoms. We systematically explore the influence of the kinetic energy and the irradiation fluence on the generation of luminescent centers. We find modifications of their density for both parameters, while a fivefold enhancement is observed with increasing fluence. Molecular dynamics simulations clarify the generation mechanism of these centers and their microscopic nature. We infer that VNCB and [Formula: see text] are the most likely centers formed. Ab initio calculations of their optical properties show excellent agreement with our experiments. Our methodology generates quantum emitters in a controlled manner and provides insights into their microscopic nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Fischer
- Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- Center for Nanostructured Graphene, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- NanoPhoton - Center for Nanophotonics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - J M Caridad
- Center for Nanostructured Graphene, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Physics and NanoLund, Lund University, box 118, 22100 Lund, Sweden
| | - A Sajid
- Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - S Ghaderzadeh
- Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - M Ghorbani-Asl
- Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - L Gammelgaard
- Center for Nanostructured Graphene, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - P Bøggild
- Center for Nanostructured Graphene, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - K S Thygesen
- Center for Nanostructured Graphene, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - A V Krasheninnikov
- Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01328 Dresden, Germany
- Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, 00076 Espoo, Finland
| | - S Xiao
- Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- Center for Nanostructured Graphene, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- NanoPhoton - Center for Nanophotonics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - M Wubs
- Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- Center for Nanostructured Graphene, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- NanoPhoton - Center for Nanophotonics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - N Stenger
- Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
- Center for Nanostructured Graphene, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- NanoPhoton - Center for Nanophotonics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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37
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Zhang J, Tan B, Zhang X, Gao F, Hu Y, Wang L, Duan X, Yang Z, Hu P. Atomically Thin Hexagonal Boron Nitride and Its Heterostructures. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2000769. [PMID: 32803781 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202000769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Atomically thin hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is an emerging star of 2D materials. It is taken as an optimal substrate for other 2D-material-based devices owing to its atomical flatness, absence of dangling bonds, and excellent stability. Specifically, h-BN is found to be a natural hyperbolic material in the mid-infrared range, as well as a piezoelectric material. All the unique properties are beneficial for novel applications in optoelectronics and electronics. Currently, most of these applications are merely based on exfoliated h-BN flakes at their proof-of-concept stages. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is considered as the most promising approach for producing large-scale, high-quality, atomically thin h-BN films and heterostructures. Herein, CVD synthesis of atomically thin h-BN is the focus. Also, the growth kinetics are systematically investigated to point out general strategies for controllable and scalable preparation of single-crystal h-BN film. Meanwhile, epitaxial growth of 2D materials onto h-BN and at its edge to construct heterostructures is summarized, emphasizing that the specific orientation of constituent parts in heterostructures can introduce novel properties. Finally, recent applications of atomically thin h-BN and its heterostructures in optoelectronics and electronics are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 92, Dazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, China
- Key Laboratory of Microsystems and Microstructure Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 2 Yikuang Street, Harbin, 150080, China
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 2 Yikuang Street, Harbin, 150080, China
| | - Biying Tan
- Key Laboratory of Microsystems and Microstructure Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 2 Yikuang Street, Harbin, 150080, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microsystems and Microstructure Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 2 Yikuang Street, Harbin, 150080, China
| | - Feng Gao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 92, Dazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Yunxia Hu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 92, Dazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Lifeng Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 92, Dazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Xiaoming Duan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 92, Dazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, China
- Institute for Advanced Ceramics, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 92 Dazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Zhihua Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 92, Dazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, China
- Institute for Advanced Ceramics, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 92 Dazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - PingAn Hu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 92, Dazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, China
- Key Laboratory of Microsystems and Microstructure Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 2 Yikuang Street, Harbin, 150080, China
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 2 Yikuang Street, Harbin, 150080, China
- Institute for Advanced Ceramics, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 92 Dazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, China
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38
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Hötger A, Klein J, Barthelmi K, Sigl L, Sigger F, Männer W, Gyger S, Florian M, Lorke M, Jahnke F, Taniguchi T, Watanabe K, Jöns KD, Wurstbauer U, Kastl C, Müller K, Finley JJ, Holleitner AW. Gate-Switchable Arrays of Quantum Light Emitters in Contacted Monolayer MoS 2 van der Waals Heterodevices. NANO LETTERS 2021; 21:1040-1046. [PMID: 33433221 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c04222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate electrostatic switching of individual, site-selectively generated matrices of single photon emitters (SPEs) in MoS2 van der Waals heterodevices. We contact monolayers of MoS2 in field-effect devices with graphene gates and hexagonal boron nitride as the dielectric and graphite as bottom gates. After the assembly of such gate-tunable heterodevices, we demonstrate how arrays of defects, that serve as quantum emitters, can be site-selectively generated in the monolayer MoS2 by focused helium ion irradiation. The SPEs are sensitive to the charge carrier concentration in the MoS2 and switch on and off similar to the neutral exciton in MoS2 for moderate electron doping. The demonstrated scheme is a first step for producing scalable, gate-addressable, and gate-switchable arrays of quantum light emitters in MoS2 heterostacks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Hötger
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, TU Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Julian Klein
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, TU Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Katja Barthelmi
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, TU Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST), 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Lukas Sigl
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, TU Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST), 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Florian Sigger
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, TU Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST), 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Männer
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, TU Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Samuel Gyger
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Applied Physics, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matthias Florian
- Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Bremen, 28334 Bremen, Germany
| | - Michael Lorke
- Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Bremen, 28334 Bremen, Germany
| | - Frank Jahnke
- Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Bremen, 28334 Bremen, Germany
| | - Takashi Taniguchi
- International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan
| | - Kenji Watanabe
- Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan
| | - Klaus D Jöns
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Applied Physics, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ursula Wurstbauer
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, TU Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Institute of Physics, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Christoph Kastl
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, TU Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Kai Müller
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, TU Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST), 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Jonathan J Finley
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, TU Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST), 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Alexander W Holleitner
- Walter Schottky Institute and Physics Department, TU Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST), 80799 Munich, Germany
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39
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Yim D, Yu M, Noh G, Lee J, Seo H. Polarization and Localization of Single-Photon Emitters in Hexagonal Boron Nitride Wrinkles. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:36362-36369. [PMID: 32677428 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c09740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Color centers in two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) have recently emerged as stable and bright single-photon emitters (SPEs) operating at room temperature. In this study, we combine theory and experiment to show that vacancy-based SPEs selectively form at nanoscale wrinkles in h-BN with its optical dipole preferentially aligned to the wrinkle direction. By using density functional theory calculations, we find that the wrinkle's curvature plays a crucial role in localizing vacancy-based SPE candidates and aligning the defect's symmetry plane to the wrinkle direction. By performing optical measurements on SPEs created in h-BN single-crystal flakes, we experimentally confirm the wrinkle-induced generation of SPEs and their polarization alignment to the wrinkle direction. Our results not only provide a new route to controlling the atomic position and the optical property of the SPEs but also revealed the possible crystallographic origin of the SPEs in h-BN, greatly enhancing their potential for use in solid-state quantum photonics and quantum information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donggyu Yim
- Department of Physics and Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16499, Korea
| | - Mihyang Yu
- Department of Physics and Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16499, Korea
| | - Gichang Noh
- Department of Physics and Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16499, Korea
| | - Jieun Lee
- Department of Physics and Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16499, Korea
| | - Hosung Seo
- Department of Physics and Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16499, Korea
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40
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Castelletto S, Inam FA, Sato SI, Boretti A. Hexagonal boron nitride: a review of the emerging material platform for single-photon sources and the spin-photon interface. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 11:740-769. [PMID: 32461875 PMCID: PMC7214868 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.11.61] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Single-photon sources and their optical spin readout are at the core of applications in quantum communication, quantum computation, and quantum sensing. Their integration in photonic structures such as photonic crystals, microdisks, microring resonators, and nanopillars is essential for their deployment in quantum technologies. While there are currently only two material platforms (diamond and silicon carbide) with proven single-photon emission from the visible to infrared, a quantum spin-photon interface, and ancilla qubits, it is expected that other material platforms could emerge with similar characteristics in the near future. These two materials also naturally lead to monolithic integrated photonics as both are good photonic materials. While so far the verification of single-photon sources was based on discovery, assignment and then assessment and control of their quantum properties for applications, a better approach could be to identify applications and then search for the material that could address the requirements of the application in terms of quantum properties of the defects. This approach is quite difficult as it is based mostly on the reliability of modeling and predicting of color center properties in various materials, and their experimental verification is challenging. In this paper, we review some recent advances in an emerging material, low-dimensional (2D, 1D, 0D) hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), which could lead to establishing such a platform. We highlight the recent achievements of the specific material for the expected applications in quantum technologies, indicating complementary outstanding properties compared to the other 3D bulk materials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Faraz A Inam
- Dept. of Physics, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, U.P. 202002, India
| | - Shin-ichiro Sato
- National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Takasaki, Gunma, 370-1292, Japan
| | - Alberto Boretti
- Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al Khobar 31952, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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41
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Hayee F, Yu L, Zhang JL, Ciccarino CJ, Nguyen M, Marshall AF, Aharonovich I, Vučković J, Narang P, Heinz TF, Dionne JA. Revealing multiple classes of stable quantum emitters in hexagonal boron nitride with correlated optical and electron microscopy. NATURE MATERIALS 2020; 19:534-539. [PMID: 32094492 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-020-0616-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Defects in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) exhibit high-brightness, room-temperature quantum emission, but their large spectral variability and unknown local structure challenge their technological utility. Here, we directly correlate hBN quantum emission with local strain using a combination of photoluminescence (PL), cathodoluminescence (CL) and nanobeam electron diffraction. Across 40 emitters, we observe zero phonon lines (ZPLs) in PL and CL ranging from 540 to 720 nm. CL mapping reveals that multiple defects and distinct defect species located within an optically diffraction-limited region can each contribute to the observed PL spectra. Local strain maps indicate that strain is not required to activate the emitters and is not solely responsible for the observed ZPL spectral range. Instead, at least four distinct defect classes are responsible for the observed emission range, and all four classes are stable upon both optical and electron illumination. Our results provide a foundation for future atomic-scale optical characterization of colour centres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fariah Hayee
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Leo Yu
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Christopher J Ciccarino
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Minh Nguyen
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ann F Marshall
- Stanford Nano Shared Facilities, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Igor Aharonovich
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jelena Vučković
- E. L. Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Prineha Narang
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Tony F Heinz
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer A Dionne
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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42
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Sajid A, Ford MJ, Reimers JR. Single-photon emitters in hexagonal boron nitride: a review of progress. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2020; 83:044501. [PMID: 31846956 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6633/ab6310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
This report summarizes progress made in understanding properties such as zero-phonon-line energies, emission and absorption polarizations, electron-phonon couplings, strain tuning and hyperfine coupling of single photon emitters in hexagonal boron nitride. The primary aims of this research are to discover the chemical nature of the emitting centres and to facilitate deployment in device applications. Critical analyses of the experimental literature and data interpretation, as well as theoretical approaches used to predict properties, are made. In particular, computational and theoretical limitations and challenges are discussed, with a range of suggestions made to overcome these limitations, striving to achieve realistic predictions concerning the nature of emitting centers. A symbiotic relationship is required in which calculations focus on properties that can easily be measured, whilst experiments deliver results in a form facilitating mass-produced calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Sajid
- University of Technology Sydney, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia. CAMD, Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark. Department of Physics, GC University Faisalabad, Allama Iqbal Road, 38000 Faisalabad, Pakistan. Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed
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43
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Parviz D, Bitounis D, Demokritou P, Strano M. Engineering Two-dimensional Nanomaterials to Enable Structure-Activity Relationship Studies in Nanosafety Research. NANOIMPACT 2020; 18:100226. [PMID: 32617436 PMCID: PMC7331938 DOI: 10.1016/j.impact.2020.100226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Emerging, two-dimensional engineered nanomaterials (2DNMs) possess unique and diverse physical and chemical properties, such as extreme aspect ratios, adjustable electronic properties as well as functional lattice defects and surface chemistry which underpin their interactions with biological systems. This perspective highlights the need for structure activity relationship (SAR) studies for key properties of emerging grapheme-related and inorganic 2DNMs upon prioritization based on their potential impact and trajectory for large-scale production and applications. Further, it is discussed how a synthesis platform of microbiologically sterile, size-sorted, "model" 2DNMs with precise structure would enable SAR toxicological studies and allow for the sustainable and safe translation of 2D nanotechnology to real-world applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorsa Parviz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue 66-570b Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Dimitrios Bitounis
- Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, HSPH-NIEHS Nanosafety Center, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public School, Harvard University, 665 Huntington, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Philip Demokritou
- Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, HSPH-NIEHS Nanosafety Center, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public School, Harvard University, 665 Huntington, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael Strano
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue 66-570b Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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44
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Palombo Blascetta N, Liebel M, Lu X, Taniguchi T, Watanabe K, Efetov DK, van Hulst NF. Nanoscale Imaging and Control of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Single Photon Emitters by a Resonant Nanoantenna. NANO LETTERS 2020; 20:1992-1999. [PMID: 32053384 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b05268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Defect centers in two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are drawing attention as single-photon emitters with high photostability at room temperature. With their ultrahigh photon-stability, hBN single-photon emitters are promising for new applications in quantum technologies and for 2D-material based optoelectronics. Here, we control the emission rate of hBN-defects by coupling to resonant plasmonic nanocavities. By deterministic control of the antenna, we acquire high-resolution emission maps of the single hBN-defects. Using time-gating, we can discriminate the hBN-defect emission from the antenna luminescence. We observe sharp dips (40 nm fwhm) in emission, together with a reduction in luminescence lifetime. Comparing with finite-difference time-domain simulations, we conclude that both radiative and nonradiative rates are enhanced, effectively reducing the quantum efficiency. Also, the large refractive index of hBN largely screens off the local antenna field enhancement. Finally, based on the insight gained we propose a close-contact design for an order of magnitude brighter hBN single-photon emission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Palombo Blascetta
- ICFO - Institut de Ciences Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona 08860, Spain
| | - Matz Liebel
- ICFO - Institut de Ciences Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona 08860, Spain
| | - Xiaobo Lu
- ICFO - Institut de Ciences Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona 08860, Spain
| | - Takashi Taniguchi
- National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
| | - Kenji Watanabe
- National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
| | - Dmitri K Efetov
- ICFO - Institut de Ciences Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona 08860, Spain
| | - Niek F van Hulst
- ICFO - Institut de Ciences Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona 08860, Spain
- ICREA, Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona 08010, Spain
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45
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Boll MK, Radko IP, Huck A, Andersen UL. Photophysics of quantum emitters in hexagonal boron-nitride nano-flakes. OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 28:7475-7487. [PMID: 32225974 DOI: 10.1364/oe.386629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Quantum emitters in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) have attracted significant interest due to their bright and narrowband photon emission even at room temperature. The wide-bandgap two-dimensional material incorporates crystal defects of yet-unknown configuration, introducing discrete energy levels with radiative transition frequencies in the visible spectral range. The commonly observed high brightness together with the moderate fluorescence lifetime indicates a high quantum efficiency, but the exact dynamics and the underlying energy level structure remain elusive. In this study we present a systematic and detailed analysis of the photon statistics recorded for several individual emitters. We extract the individual decay rates by modeling the second-order correlation functions using a set of rate equations based on an energy level scheme involving long-lived states. Our analysis clearly indicates excitation-power-dependent non-radiative couplings to at least two metastable levels and confirms a near unity quantum efficiency.
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46
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Liu P, Tian H, Windl W, Gu G, Duscher G, Wu Y, Zhao M, Guo J, Xu B, Liu L. Direct imaging of the nitrogen-rich edge in monolayer hexagonal boron nitride and its band structure tuning. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:20676-20684. [PMID: 31642456 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr07147d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Identification of edge atoms and tracking the edge structure evolution of two-dimensional (2D) crystals at the scale of individual atoms is critical for understanding the edge-dominated properties and behavioral responses to external field stimuli. Here, direct imaging of the edge configuration of monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is demonstrated at the atomic scale, by using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy. Tracking of the edge atoms revealed that a nitrogen-terminated zigzag arrangement dominates along the edge, naturally leading to nitrogen rich (N-rich) characteristics in this area, while the stoichiometric interior of the h-BN monolayer is maintained. Both top-down fabrication and bottom-up growth were proposed to obtain novel h-BN flakes with an N-rich ratio larger than 1% when the size is reduced to the threshold of 25 nm. Furthermore, density functional theory calculations revealed that a new bandgap of ∼3 eV is created by the N-rich characteristics, and h-BN transforms into an n-type semiconductor by self-doping. The results call for the development of ultra-small h-BN islands to be used in intriguing 2D electronic devices with a photoresponse function to visible light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peizhi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Ministry of Education, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China.
| | - Huifeng Tian
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Wolfgang Windl
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Gong Gu
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
| | - Gerd Duscher
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA and Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Yucheng Wu
- Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Ministry of Education, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China.
| | - Min Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Ministry of Education, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China.
| | - Junjie Guo
- Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Ministry of Education, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China.
| | - Bingshe Xu
- Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Ministry of Education, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China. and Materials Institute of Atomic and Molecular Science, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'An 710021, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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47
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Turiansky ME, Alkauskas A, Bassett LC, Van de Walle CG. Dangling Bonds in Hexagonal Boron Nitride as Single-Photon Emitters. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2019; 123:127401. [PMID: 31633955 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.123.127401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride has been found to host color centers that exhibit single-photon emission, but the microscopic origin of these emitters is unknown. We propose boron dangling bonds as the likely source of the observed single-photon emission around 2 eV. An optical transition where an electron is excited from a doubly occupied boron dangling bond to a localized B p_{z} state gives rise to a zero-phonon line of 2.06 eV and emission with a Huang-Rhys factor of 2.3. This transition is linearly polarized with the absorptive and emissive dipole aligned. Because of the energetic position of the states within the band gap, indirect excitation through the conduction band will occur for sufficiently large excitation energies, leading to the misalignment of the absorptive and emissive dipoles seen in experiment. Our calculations predict a singlet ground state and the existence of a metastable triplet state, in agreement with experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Turiansky
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9530, USA
| | - Audrius Alkauskas
- Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC), Vilnius LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Lee C Bassett
- Quantum Engineering Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Chris G Van de Walle
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106-5050, USA
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48
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Vogl T, Doherty MW, Buchler BC, Lu Y, Lam PK. Atomic localization of quantum emitters in multilayer hexagonal boron nitride. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:14362-14371. [PMID: 31332410 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr04269e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The recent discovery of single-photon emitting defects hosted by the two-dimensional wide band gap semiconductor hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has inspired a great number of experiments. Key characteristics of these quantum emitters are their capability to operate at room temperature with a high luminosity. In spite of large theoretical and experimental research efforts, the exact nature of the emission remains unresolved. In this work we utilize layer-by-layer etching of multilayer hBN to localize the quantum emitters with atomic precision. Our results suggest the position of the emitters correlates with the fabrication method: emitters formed under plasma treatment are always in close proximity to the crystal surface, while emitters created under electron irradiation are distributed randomly throughout the entire crystal. This disparity could be traced back to the lower kinetic energy of the ions in the plasma compared to the kinetic energy of the electrons in the particle accelerator. The emitter distance to the surface also correlates with the excited state lifetime: near-surface emitters have a shorter one compared to emitters deep within the crystal. Finite-difference time-domain and density functional theory simulations show that optical and electronic effects are not responsible for this difference, indicating effects such as coupling to surface defects or phonons might cause the reduced lifetime. Our results pave a way toward identification of the defect, as well as engineering the emitter properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Vogl
- Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology, Department of Quantum Science, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Acton ACT 2601, Australia.
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49
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Lee SH, Jeong H, Kim DY, Seo SY, Han C, Okello OFN, Lo JI, Peng YC, Oh CH, Lee GW, Shim JI, Cheng BM, Song K, Choi SY, Jo MH, Kim JK. Electroluminescence from h-BN by using Al 2O 3/h-BN multiple heterostructure. OPTICS EXPRESS 2019; 27:19692-19701. [PMID: 31503725 DOI: 10.1364/oe.27.019692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2-D) hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has attracted considerable attention for deep ultraviolet optoelectronics and visible single photon sources, however, realization of an electrically-driven light emitter remains challenging due to its wide bandgap nature. Here, we report electrically-driven visible light emission with a red-shift under increasing electric field from a few layer h-BN by employing a five-period Al2O3/h-BN multiple heterostructure and a graphene top electrode. Investigation of electrical properties reveals that the Al2O3 layers act as potential barriers confining injected carriers within the h-BN wells, while suppressing the electrostatic breakdown by trap-assisted tunneling, to increase the probability of radiative recombination. The result highlights a promising potential of such multiple heterostructure as a practical and efficient platform for electrically-driven light emitters based on wide bandgap two-dimensional materials.
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50
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Stern HL, Wang R, Fan Y, Mizuta R, Stewart JC, Needham LM, Roberts TD, Wai R, Ginsberg NS, Klenerman D, Hofmann S, Lee SF. Spectrally Resolved Photodynamics of Individual Emitters in Large-Area Monolayers of Hexagonal Boron Nitride. ACS NANO 2019; 13:4538-4547. [PMID: 30865421 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b00274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a 2D, wide band gap semiconductor that has recently been shown to display bright room-temperature emission in the visible region, sparking immense interest in the material for use in quantum applications. In this work, we study highly crystalline, single atomic layers of chemical vapor deposition grown h-BN and find predominantly one type of emissive state. Using a multidimensional super-resolution fluorescence microscopy technique we simultaneously measure spatial position, intensity, and spectral properties of the emitters, as they are exposed to continuous wave illumination over minutes. As well as low emitter heterogeneity, we observe inhomogeneous broadening of emitter line-widths and power law dependency in fluorescence intermittency; this is strikingly similar to previous work on quantum dots. These results show that high control over h-BN growth and treatment can produce a narrow distribution of emitter type and that surface interactions heavily influence the photodynamics. Furthermore, we highlight the utility of spectrally resolved wide-field microscopy in the study of optically active excitations in atomically thin two-dimensional materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah L Stern
- Department of Chemistry , University of Cambridge , Lensfield Road , CB2 1EW , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - Ruizhi Wang
- Department of Engineering , University of Cambridge , JJ Thompson Avenue , CB3 0FA , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - Ye Fan
- Department of Engineering , University of Cambridge , JJ Thompson Avenue , CB3 0FA , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - Ryo Mizuta
- Department of Engineering , University of Cambridge , JJ Thompson Avenue , CB3 0FA , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - James C Stewart
- Department of Engineering , University of Cambridge , JJ Thompson Avenue , CB3 0FA , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - Lisa-Maria Needham
- Department of Chemistry , University of Cambridge , Lensfield Road , CB2 1EW , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - Trevor D Roberts
- Department of Chemistry , University of California , Berkeley , California 94720 , United States
| | - Rebecca Wai
- Department of Chemistry , University of California , Berkeley , California 94720 , United States
| | - Naomi S Ginsberg
- Department of Chemistry , University of California , Berkeley , California 94720 , United States
- Department of Physics and Department of Chemistry , University of California , Berkeley , California 94720 , United States
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division and Materials Sciences Division , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , Berkeley , California 94720 , United States
- Kavli Energy NanoSciences Institute , Berkeley , California 94720 , United States
| | - David Klenerman
- Department of Chemistry , University of Cambridge , Lensfield Road , CB2 1EW , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - Stephan Hofmann
- Department of Engineering , University of Cambridge , JJ Thompson Avenue , CB3 0FA , Cambridge , United Kingdom
| | - Steven F Lee
- Department of Chemistry , University of Cambridge , Lensfield Road , CB2 1EW , Cambridge , United Kingdom
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