Efficient Optical Quantification of Heterogeneous Emitter Ensembles

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new optical method for analyzing heterogeneous quantum emitter ensembles in solid materials, enabling systematic study of their properties despite variability and without needing to examine individual emitters.

Contribution

The authors develop a quantitative approach using large-area photoluminescence maps to analyze heterogeneous quantum emitters, overcoming limitations of traditional ensemble and individual measurements.

Findings

Electron irradiation creates emitters in hexagonal boron nitride.

High-temperature annealing enhances emitter brightness.

The method enables systematic analysis of emitter properties across samples.

Abstract

Defect-based quantum emitters in solid state materials offer a promising platform for quantum communication and sensing. Confocal fluorescence microscopy techniques have revealed quantum emitters in a multitude of host materials. In some materials, however, optical properties vary widely between emitters, even within the same sample. In these cases, traditional ensemble fluorescence measurements are confounded by heterogeneity, whereas individual defect-by-defect studies are impractical. Here, we develop a method to quantitatively and systematically analyze the properties of heterogeneous emitter ensembles using large-area photoluminescence maps. We apply this method to study the effects of sample treatments on emitters in hexagonal boron nitride, and we find that low-energy (3 keV) electron irradiation creates emitters, whereas high-temperature (850 $^\circ$C) annealing in an inert gas environment brightens emitters.