No Arabic abstract
Extensive photochemical and spectroscopic properties of the $V_B^-$ defect in hexagonal boron nitride are calculated, concluding that the observed photoemission associated with recently observed optically-detected magnetic resonance is most likely of (1)3E to (1)3A2 origin. Rapid intersystem crossing from the defects triplet to singlet manifolds explains the observed short excited-state lifetime and very low quantum yield. New experimental results reveal smaller intrinsic spectral bandwidths than previously recognized, interpreted in terms spectral narrowing and zero-phonon-line shifting induced by the Jahn-Teller effect. Different types of computational methods are applied to map out the complex triplet and singlet defect manifolds, including the doubly ionised formulation of the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster theory that is designed to deal with the open-shell nature of defect states, and mixed quantum-mechanics/molecular-mechanics schemes enabling 5763-atom simulations. Two other energetically feasible spectral assignments from amongst the singlet and triplet manifolds are considered, but ruled out based on inappropriate photochemical properties.
Nitrogen interstitials (N$_mathrm{i}$) have the lowest formation energy among intrinsic defects of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) under n-type and N-rich conditions. Using an optimized hybrid functional, which reproduces the gap and satisfies the generalized Koopmans condition, an N$_mathrm{i}$ configuration is found which is lower in energy than the ones reported so far. The (0/-) charge transition level is also much deeper, so N$_mathrm{i}$ acts as a very efficient compensating center in n-type samples. Its calculated photoluminescence (PL) at 3.0 eV agrees well with the position of an N-sensitive band measured at 3.1 eV. It has been also found that the nitrogen vacancy (V$_mathrm{N}$) cannot be the origin of the three boron electron (TBC) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) center and in thermal equilibrium it cannot even exist in n-type samples.
Despite the recognition of two-dimensional (2D) systems as emerging and scalable host materials of single photon emitters or spin qubits, uncontrolled and undetermined chemical nature of these quantum defects has been a roadblock to further development. Leveraging the design of extrinsic defects can circumvent these persistent issues and provide an ultimate solution. Here we established a complete theoretical framework to accurately and systematically design quantum defects in wide-bandgap 2D systems. With this approach, essential static and dynamical properties are equally considered for spin qubit discovery. In particular, many-body interactions such as defect-exciton couplings are vital for describing excited state properties of defects in ultrathin 2D systems. Meanwhile, nonradiative processes such as phonon-assisted decay and intersystem crossing rates require careful evaluation, which compete together with radiative processes. From a thorough screening of defects based on first-principles calculations, we identify promising single photon emitters such as SiVV and spin qubits such as TiVV and MoVV in hexagonal boron nitride. This work provided a complete first-principles theoretical framework for defect design in 2D materials.
Single photon emitters in 2D hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) have attracted a considerable attention because of their highly intense, stable, and strain-tunable emission. However, the precise source of this emission, in particular the detailed atomistic structure of the involved crystal defect, remains unknown. In this work, we present first-principles calculations of the vibrationally resolved optical fingerprint of the spin-triplet (2)(_^3)B_1 to (1)(_^3)B_1 transition of the VNCB point defect in hBN. Based on the excellent agreement with experiments for key spectroscopic quantities such as the emission frequency and polarization, the photoluminescence (PL) line shape, Huang-Rhys factor, Debye-Waller factor, and re-organization energy, we conclusively assign the observed single photon emission at ~2eV to the VNCB defect. Our work thereby resolves a long-standing debate about the exact chemical nature of the source of single photon emission from hBN and establishes the microscopic understanding necessary for controlling and applying such photons for quantum technological applications.
Luminescent defect-centers in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) have emerged as a promising 2D-source of single photon emitters (SPEs) due to their high brightness and robust operation at room temperature. The ability to create such emitters with well-defined optical properties is a cornerstone towards their integration into on-chip photonic architectures. Here, we report an effective approach to fabricate hBN single photon emitters (SPEs) with desired emission properties in two isolated spectral regions via the manipulation of boron diffusion through copper during atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD)--a process we term gettering. Using the gettering technique we deterministically place the resulting zero-phonon line (ZPL) between the regions 550-600 nm or from 600-650 nm, paving the way for hBN SPEs with tailored emission properties across a broad spectral range. Our ability to control defect formation during hBN growth provides a simple and cost-effective means to improve the crystallinity of CVD hBN films, and lower defect density making it applicable to hBN growth for a wide range of applications. Our results are important to understand defect formation of quantum emitters in hBN and deploy them for scalable photonic technologies.
High pressure Raman experiments on Boron Nitride multi-walled nanotubes show that the intensity of the vibrational mode at ~ 1367 cm-1 vanishes at ~ 12 GPa and it does not recover under decompression. In comparison, the high pressure Raman experiments on hexagonal Boron Nitride show a clear signature of a phase transition from hexagonal to wurtzite at ~ 13 GPa which is reversible on decompression. These results are contrasted with the pressure behavior of carbon nanotubes and graphite.