Deformation-Driven Enhancement of Spin Defect Emission in Hexagonal Boron Nitride

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Geng, Jianpei, Zhou, Xuankai, Gross, Nils, Li, Song, Kong, Yan Tung, Zhang, Jixing, Bian, Guodong, Ng, San Lam, Ho, Cheng-I, Denisenko, Andrej, Stöhr, Rainer, Peng, Ruoming, Smet, Jurgen, Wrachtrup, Jörg
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Geng, Jianpei
Zhou, Xuankai
Gross, Nils
Li, Song
Kong, Yan Tung
Zhang, Jixing
Bian, Guodong
Ng, San Lam
Ho, Cheng-I
Denisenko, Andrej
Stöhr, Rainer
Peng, Ruoming
Smet, Jurgen
Wrachtrup, Jörg
author_facet Geng, Jianpei
Zhou, Xuankai
Gross, Nils
Li, Song
Kong, Yan Tung
Zhang, Jixing
Bian, Guodong
Ng, San Lam
Ho, Cheng-I
Denisenko, Andrej
Stöhr, Rainer
Peng, Ruoming
Smet, Jurgen
Wrachtrup, Jörg
contents The negatively charged boron vacancy (VB-) in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has been extensively investigated as it offers a novel playground for two-dimensional quantum sensing, with ultimate proximity to target samples. However, its practical sensitivity is limited by the intrinsically weak photoluminescence of the spin ensemble. Here, we report a photoluminescence enhancement of up to 30 times from VB- centers in suspended regions of hBN compared to those in substrate-supported areas. The key spin properties, such as the optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) contrast and linewidth, as well as the spin lifetime, of the VB- centers in this region are well preserved. Detailed investigations, including measurements of zero-field ODMR, Raman spectroscopy, and Kelvin probe force microscopy, reveal a correlation between emission enhancement and local deformation in the sample. It is concluded that the suspended regions exhibit higher local deformation compared to the supported areas, breaking the local symmetry and thereby activating otherwise forbidden or weak optical transitions of the VB- centers.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_00912
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Deformation-Driven Enhancement of Spin Defect Emission in Hexagonal Boron Nitride
Geng, Jianpei
Zhou, Xuankai
Gross, Nils
Li, Song
Kong, Yan Tung
Zhang, Jixing
Bian, Guodong
Ng, San Lam
Ho, Cheng-I
Denisenko, Andrej
Stöhr, Rainer
Peng, Ruoming
Smet, Jurgen
Wrachtrup, Jörg
Quantum Physics
Materials Science
The negatively charged boron vacancy (VB-) in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has been extensively investigated as it offers a novel playground for two-dimensional quantum sensing, with ultimate proximity to target samples. However, its practical sensitivity is limited by the intrinsically weak photoluminescence of the spin ensemble. Here, we report a photoluminescence enhancement of up to 30 times from VB- centers in suspended regions of hBN compared to those in substrate-supported areas. The key spin properties, such as the optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) contrast and linewidth, as well as the spin lifetime, of the VB- centers in this region are well preserved. Detailed investigations, including measurements of zero-field ODMR, Raman spectroscopy, and Kelvin probe force microscopy, reveal a correlation between emission enhancement and local deformation in the sample. It is concluded that the suspended regions exhibit higher local deformation compared to the supported areas, breaking the local symmetry and thereby activating otherwise forbidden or weak optical transitions of the VB- centers.
title Deformation-Driven Enhancement of Spin Defect Emission in Hexagonal Boron Nitride
topic Quantum Physics
Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.00912