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A series of atomic-like photoluminescence (PL) emission peaks in UV region near 4.0 eV were created by thermal annealing hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) single crystals in air. The pristine h-BN did not have these peaks, emitting strong phonon-assisted band edge PL with peaks at 5.78 and 5.89 eV. After annealing the h-BN crystals in ambient air, a new atomic-like sharp emission in UV region at 4.09 eV with a line width of 0.2 nm appeared along with its phonon replicas at 3.89 and 3.69 eV in the low temperature (8 K) PL measurement. Further testing demonstrated that annealing the h-BN samples in the temperature window of 700–950 °C for 60 min generated the atomic-like emission. The peak position of the emission line is stable with the temperature and PL excitation power. Our study also suggests that the defect responsible for the atomic-like emission resides in the surface region.
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Optical Properties of Low‐Defect Large‐Area Hexagonal Boron Nitride for Quantum Applications
Intrinsic defects and their concentrations in hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) play a key role in single‐photon emission. In this study, the optical properties of large‐area multilayer h‐BN‐on‐sapphire grown by metal‐organic chemical vapor deposition are explored. Based on the detailed spectroscopic characterization using both cathodoluminescence (CL) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements, the material is devoid of random single‐point defects instead of a few clustered complex defects. The emission spectra of the measurements confirm a record‐low‐defect concentration of ≈104 cm−2. Post‐annealing, no significant changes are observed in the measured spectra and the defect concentrations remain unaltered. Through CL and PL spectroscopy, an optically active boron vacancy spin defect is identified and a novel complex defect combination arising from carbon impurities is revealed. This complex defect, previously unreported, signifies a unique aspect of the material. In these findings, the understanding of defect‐induced optical properties in h‐BN films is contributed, providing insights for potential applications in quantum information science.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2011876
- PAR ID:
- 10514817
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- physica status solidi (RRL) – Rapid Research Letters
- Volume:
- 18
- Issue:
- 6
- ISSN:
- 1862-6254
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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