Stable emission and fast optical modulation of quantum emitters in boron nitride nanotubes

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates stable, bright single-photon emission from boron nitride nanotubes with fast optical modulation, highlighting their potential for quantum information and optomechanical applications at room temperature.

Contribution

It is the first to show optical modulation of quantum emission in boron nitride nanotubes, revealing multiple electronic levels and high stability at room temperature.

Findings

Bright single-photon emission with high stability at room temperature

Fast optical modulation of quantum emission using near-infrared laser

Potential for applications in optical signal processing and optomechanics

Abstract

Atom-like defects in two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) have recently emerged as a promising platform for quantum information science. Here we investigate single-photon emissions from atomic defects in boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs). We demonstrate the first optical modulation of the quantum emission from BNNTs with a near-infrared laser. This one-dimensional system displays bright single-photon emission as well as high stability at room temperature and is an excellent candidate for optomechanics. The fast optical modulation of single-photon emission from BNNTs shows multiple electronic levels of the system and has potential applications in optical signal processing.