Spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride, and specifically the negatively charged boron vacancy (VB‐) centers, are emerging candidates for quantum sensing. However, the VB‐defects suffer from low quantum efficiency and, as a result, exhibit weak photoluminescence. In this work, a scalable approach is demonstrated to dramatically enhance the VB‐emission by coupling to a plasmonic gap cavity. The plasmonic cavity is composed of a flat gold surface and a silver cube, with few‐layer hBN flakes positioned in between. Employing these plasmonic cavities, two orders of magnitude are extracted in photoluminescence enhancement associated with a corresponding twofold enhancement in optically detected magnetic resonance contrast. The work will be pivotal to progress in quantum sensing employing 2D materials, and in realization of nanophotonic devices with spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride.
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10294001
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Nano Letters
- ISSN:
- 1530-6984
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Color centers in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are presently attracting broad interest as a novel platform for nanoscale sensing and quantum information processing. Unfortunately, their atomic structures remain largely elusive and only a small percentage of the emitters studied thus far have the properties required to serve as optically addressable spin qubits. Here, we use confocal fluorescence microscopy at variable temperatures to study a new class of point defects produced via cerium ion implantation in thin hBN flakes. We find that, to a significant fraction, emitters show bright room-temperature emission, and good optical stability suggesting the formation of Ce-based point defects. Using density functional theory (DFT) we calculate the emission properties of candidate emitters, and single out the CeVBcenter—formed by an interlayer Ce atom adjacent to a boron vacancy—as one possible microscopic model. Our results suggest an intriguing route to defect engineering that simultaneously exploits the singular properties of rare-earth ions and the versatility of two-dimensional material hosts.
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c02495
