Insights into the Nature of Quantum Emitters in Electron-Irradiated hexagonal Boron Nitride
Abstract
Quantum emitters in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) have emerged as a promising solid-state platform for quantum technology applications. However, a persistent challenge in the field is the unclear origin of many observed emission lines, particularly in the visible range, which can be difficult to distinguish from signals arising from organic or process-induced contamination during sample preparations and handling. This ambiguity limits both the reproducibility of emitter generation and the reliable identification of truly intrinsic quantum defects. This work provides a step-by-step framework to assess whether quantum emitters in electron-irradiated hBN are associated with organic contaminants introduced during sample preparation. We employ hyperspectral imaging, thermal annealing, and oxygen plasma etching to investigate the origin of the green-yellow emitters in electron-irradiated hBN. The combined results not only rule out organic contamination as the source of emission but also provide insight into the spectral variability, thermal stability, and vertical localization of the emitters generated in electron-irradiated hBN that was created without any pre- or post-processing. In addition, our experiments demonstrate the feasibility of creating stable emitters in hBN with thicknesses below 10 nm. These findings provide practical guidance for the identification and controlled implementation of hBN-based single-photon emitters in quantum photonic devices.
Versions
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BibTeX
@misc{hazra2026insights,
title = {{Insights into the Nature of Quantum Emitters in Electron-Irradiated hexagonal Boron Nitride}},
author = {Mouli Hazra and Anna Rupp and Mohammad N. Mishuk and Josefine Krause and Anand Kumar and Julien Chénedé and Mingi Kang and Bayarjargal N. Tugchin and Marijn Rikers and Isabelle Staude and Thomas Pertsch and Alexander Högele and Tobias Vogl},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2605.12663},
eprint = {2605.12663},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.12663},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Insights into the Nature of Quantum Emitters in Electron-Irradiated hexagonal Boron Nitride
AU - Mouli Hazra
AU - Anna Rupp
AU - Mohammad N. Mishuk
AU - Josefine Krause
AU - Anand Kumar
AU - Julien Chénedé
AU - Mingi Kang
AU - Bayarjargal N. Tugchin
AU - Marijn Rikers
AU - Isabelle Staude
AU - Thomas Pertsch
AU - Alexander Högele
AU - Tobias Vogl
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2605.12663
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.12663
AB - Quantum emitters in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) have emerged as a promising solid-state platform for quantum technology applications. However, a persistent challenge in the field is the unclear origin of many observed emission lines, particularly in the visible range, which can be difficult to distinguish from signals arising from organic or process-induced contamination during sample preparations and handling. This ambiguity limits both the reproducibility of emitter generation and the reliable identification of truly intrinsic quantum defects. This work provides a step-by-step framework to assess whether quantum emitters in electron-irradiated hBN are associated with organic contaminants introduced during sample preparation. We employ hyperspectral imaging, thermal annealing, and oxygen plasma etching to investigate the origin of the green-yellow emitters in electron-irradiated hBN. The combined results not only rule out organic contamination as the source of emission but also provide insight into the spectral variability, thermal stability, and vertical localization of the emitters generated in electron-irradiated hBN that was created without any pre- or post-processing. In addition, our experiments demonstrate the feasibility of creating stable emitters in hBN with thicknesses below 10 nm. These findings provide practical guidance for the identification and controlled implementation of hBN-based single-photon emitters in quantum photonic devices.
ER -