Revealing multiple classes of stable quantum emitters in hexagonal boron nitride with correlated optical and electron microscopy
Revealing multiple classes of stable quantum emitters in hexagonal boron nitride with correlated optical and electron microscopy
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DOI：
10.1038/s41563-020-0616-9
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发表时间：
2020-02-24
期刊：
影响因子：
41.2
通讯作者：
Dionne, Jennifer A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Hayee, Fariah;Yu, Leo;Dionne, Jennifer A.
六方氮化硼中的缺陷表现出室温量子发射，但其未知的结构起源挑战了其技术实用性。光学显微镜和电子显微镜的结合有助于区分至少四类缺陷，并将它们与局部应变相关联。六方氮化硼（hBN）中的缺陷表现出高亮度，室温量子发射，但其大的光谱变化和未知的局部结构挑战其技术实用性。在这里，我们直接关联hBN量子发射与局部应变使用光致发光（PL），阴极发光（CL）和纳米束电子衍射的组合。在40发射器，我们观察到零声子线（ZPL）在PL和CL范围从540到720 nm。CL映射显示，位于光学衍射限制区域内的多个缺陷和不同的缺陷种类可以各自对所观察到的PL光谱做出贡献。局部应变图表明，应变是不需要激活发射器，并不是唯一负责观察到的ZPL光谱范围。相反，至少有四个不同的缺陷类负责观察到的发射范围，所有四个类是稳定的光学和电子照明。我们的研究结果提供了一个基础，为未来的原子尺度的光学表征色心。
Defects in hexagonal boron nitride exhibit room-temperature quantum emission, but their unknown structural origin challenges their technological utility. A combination of optical and electron microscopy helps to distinguish at least four classes of defects and correlate them with local strain.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.