Interacting donor-acceptor pairs as the origin of coupled spin-optical signals in hexagonal boron nitride

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Hu, Guanjian, Huang, Jijun, Huang, Bing, Li, Song
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Hu, Guanjian
Huang, Jijun
Huang, Bing
Li, Song
author_facet Hu, Guanjian
Huang, Jijun
Huang, Bing
Li, Song
contents Optically addressable spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride hold promise for room-temperature quantum technologies, but their microscopic identities remain largely unknown. Using first principles calculations, we show that coupled spin optical signals arise from interacting donor acceptor pairs, not the commonly believed isolated defects. Intra and inter pair separations control charge transfer, electronic structure, and spin coupling, thereby greatly modulating zero phonon lines, phonon sidebands, lifetimes, and the sign of optically detected magnetic resonance contrast. Importantly, we identify two distinct charge-state-dependent coupling regimes and extend this picture to correlated defect ensembles, explaining the wide diversity of experimental observations. Our results establish a microscopic framework for coupled defect behavior and provide design principles for spin-active quantum emitters in wide bandgap semiconductors.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_20655
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Interacting donor-acceptor pairs as the origin of coupled spin-optical signals in hexagonal boron nitride
Hu, Guanjian
Huang, Jijun
Huang, Bing
Li, Song
Materials Science
Optically addressable spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride hold promise for room-temperature quantum technologies, but their microscopic identities remain largely unknown. Using first principles calculations, we show that coupled spin optical signals arise from interacting donor acceptor pairs, not the commonly believed isolated defects. Intra and inter pair separations control charge transfer, electronic structure, and spin coupling, thereby greatly modulating zero phonon lines, phonon sidebands, lifetimes, and the sign of optically detected magnetic resonance contrast. Importantly, we identify two distinct charge-state-dependent coupling regimes and extend this picture to correlated defect ensembles, explaining the wide diversity of experimental observations. Our results establish a microscopic framework for coupled defect behavior and provide design principles for spin-active quantum emitters in wide bandgap semiconductors.
title Interacting donor-acceptor pairs as the origin of coupled spin-optical signals in hexagonal boron nitride
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.20655