Generation of Quantum-dot Photon Emission in h-BN via Local Strain Engineering

Abstract

We reported a low-cost and easy-to-make method to effectively generate quantum dot (QD) states in 2D hBN films for quantum emissions at room temperature by utilizing silica nanospheres, in comparison with the sophisticated nanofabrication method reported in previous studies. The QDs created in 2D hBN films using silica nanospheres exhibit pronounced photon emissions with a good photo-stability in air, a narrow distribution of the emission peaks within the range of 580–620 nm, and a directional emission pattern, behaving as a single electric dipole. Our work develops the method of controllable fabrication of quantum emitters in 2D materials by using nano materials and structures.

Keywords

hexagonal boron nitride / silica nanospheres / local strain / quantum dots / quantum emission

References

[1] O’Brien JL, Furusawa A, Vučković J. Photonic Quantum Technologies [J]. Nature Photonics, 2009, 3(12): 687-695.

[2] Tran TT, Bray K, Ford MJ, et al. Quantum Emission from Hexagonal Boron Nitride Monolayers[J]. Nature Nanotechnology, 2016, 11(1): 37-41.

[3] Choi S, Tran TT, Elbadawi C, et al. Engineering and Localization of Quantum Emitters in Large Hexagonal Boron Nitride Layers[J]. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2016, 8(43): 29 642-29 648.

[4] Kianinia M, White S, Fröch JE, et al. Generation of Spin Defects in Hexagonal Boron Nitride[J]. ACS Photonics, 2020, 7(8): 2 147-2 152.

[5] Chejanovsky N, Rezai M, Paolucci F, et al. Structural Attributes and Photodynamics of Visible Spectrum Quantum Emitters in Hexagonal Boron Nitride[J]. Nano Lett., 2016, 16(11): 7 037-7 045.

[6] Grosso G, Moon H, Lienhard B, et al. Tunable and High-purity Room Temperature Single-photon Emission from Atomic Defects in Hexagonal Boron Nitride [J]. Nat. Commun., 2017, 8(1): 705

[7] Proscia NV, Shotan Z, Jayakumar H, et al. Near-deterministic Activation of Room-temperature Quantum Emitters in Hexagonal Boron Nitride[J]. Optica, 2018, 5(9): 1 128-1 134.

[8] Liu W, Wang YT, Li ZP, et al. An Ultrastable and Robust Single-photon Emitter in Hexagonal Boron Nitride[J]. Physica E: Low-dimensional Systems and Nanostructures, 2020, 124: 114 251-114 259.

[9] Yim D, Yu M, Noh G, et al. Polarization and Localization of Single-Photon Emitters in Hexagonal Boron Nitride Wrinkles[J]. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2020, 12(32): 36 362-36 369.

[10] Branny A, Kumar S, Proux R, et al. Deterministic Strain-induced Arrays of Quantum Emitters in a Two-dimensional Semiconductor[J]. Nat. Commun., 2017, 8: 15053.

[11] Bourrellier R, Meuret S, Tararan A, et al. Bright UV Single Photon Emission at Point Defects in h-BN[J]. Nano Lett., 2016, 16(7): 4 317-4 321.