Robust Ultraviolet to Near-infrared Quantum Emitters in Hexagonal Boron Nitride up to 1100 K

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) can host stable single-photon emitters across a broad wavelength range from ultraviolet to near-infrared, maintaining stability up to 1100 K, which is promising for quantum technology applications.

Contribution

The study reveals that laser excitation can significantly enhance hBN single-photon emissions, extending their wavelength range and stability at high temperatures, a novel finding for quantum emitter materials.

Findings

hBN emitters cover 357 nm to 912 nm wavelengths

Single-photon stability persists up to 1100 Kelvin

Decoupling of single-photon and acoustic phonons observed at high temperatures

Abstract

A stable single-photon source working at high temperatures with high brightness and covering full band emission from one host material is critically important for quantum technologies. Here, we find that the certain hBN single-photon emissions (SPEs) can be significantly enhanced by lasers with special wavelengths, which largely broaden the wavelength range of the hBN emitters, down to ultraviolet (357 nm) and up to near-infrared (912 nm). Importantly, these hBN SPEs are still stable even at the temperature up to 1100 Kelvin. The decoupling between single-photon and acoustic phonon is observed at high temperatures. Our work suggests that hBN can be a good host material for generating single-photon sources with ultrabroad wavelength range.