Single photon emitters in hexagonal boron nitride: A review of progress

TL;DR

This review summarizes recent progress in understanding the properties, chemical nature, and potential applications of single photon emitters in hexagonal boron nitride, highlighting experimental and theoretical challenges.

Contribution

It critically analyzes experimental data and theoretical models, proposing strategies to improve predictions and understanding of emitting centers in hexagonal boron nitride.

Findings

Detailed characterization of emission properties

Identification of challenges in theoretical predictions

Suggestions for bridging experimental and computational approaches

Abstract

This report summarizes progress made in understanding properties such as zero-phonon-line energies, emission and absorption polarizations, electron-phonon couplings, strain tuning and hyperfine coupling of single photon emitters in hexagonal boron nitride. The primary aims of this research are to discover the chemical nature of the emitting centres and to facilitate deployment in device applications. Critical analyses of the experimental literature and data interpretation, as well as theoretical approaches used to predict properties, are made. In particular, computational and theoretical limitations and challenges are discussed, with a range of suggestions made to overcome these limitations, striving to achieve realistic predictions concerning the nature of emitting centers. A symbiotic relationship is required in which calculations focus on properties that can easily be measured, whilst experiments deliver results in a form facilitating mass-produced calculations.