Nanoscale Imaging and Control of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Single Photon Emitters by a Resonant Nanoantenna

Nicola Palombo Blascetta, Matz Liebel, Xiaobo Lu, Takashi Taniguchi, Kenji Watanabe, Dmitri K. Efetov, Niek F. Van Hulst

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Defect centers in two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are drawing attention as single-photon emitters with high photostability at room temperature. With their ultrahigh photon-stability, hBN single-photon emitters are promising for new applications in quantum technologies and for 2D-material based optoelectronics. Here, we control the emission rate of hBN-defects by coupling to resonant plasmonic nanocavities. By deterministic control of the antenna, we acquire high-resolution emission maps of the single hBN-defects. Using time-gating, we can discriminate the hBN-defect emission from the antenna luminescence. We observe sharp dips (40 nm fwhm) in emission, together with a reduction in luminescence lifetime. Comparing with finite-difference time-domain simulations, we conclude that both radiative and nonradiative rates are enhanced, effectively reducing the quantum efficiency. Also, the large refractive index of hBN largely screens off the local antenna field enhancement. Finally, based on the insight gained we propose a close-contact design for an order of magnitude brighter hBN single-photon emission.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1992-1999
JournalNano Letters
Volume20
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11 Mar 2020
Externally publishedYes

Funding

N.F.v.H. acknowledges the financial support by the European Commission through ERC Advanced Grant 670949-LightNet. D.K.E. acknowledges support the H2020 Programme under Grant Agreement 820378, Project: 2D SIPC and the La Caixa Foundation. Authors acknowledge support by the Ministry of Science, Innovation & Universities (RTI2018-099957-J-I00 and PGC2018-096875-B-I00), the Ministry of Economy (FIS2015-69258-P, BES-2016-078727, and “Severo Ochoa” program for Centers of Excellence in R&D SEV-2015-0522), the Catalan AGAUR (2017SGR1369), Fundació Privada Cellex, Fundació Privada Mir-Puig, and Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA program. We thank Kevin Schädler for help in the initial phase of hBN sample fabrication.

FundersFunder number
FUNDACIÓ Privada MIR-PUIG
H2020 Programme
Ministry of Science, Innovation & UniversitiesPGC2018-096875-B-I00, RTI2018-099957-J-I00
Fundación Cellex
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme820378, 670949
European Commission
European Research Council
Generalitat de Catalunya
Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca2017SGR1369
Ministry of EconomyBES-2016-078727, FIS2015-69258-P, SEV-2015-0522
Fundación Bancaria Caixa d'Estalvis i Pensions de Barcelona

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