Fluorescent Defects in Hexagonal Boron Nitride

Mono- and few-layer hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) can host defects whose electronic states lie deep within the bandgap, similar to the nitrogen-vacancy color center in bulk diamond. Here, we study defect creation in h-BN through irradiation and thermal annealing. We employ confocal photoluminescence (PL) imaging and spectroscopy under various excitation energies on both supported and suspended h-BN to identify and characterize the emission of isolated defect centers. Polarization- and temperature-dependent measurements of the observed PL are used to map out the electronic structure of the defects, enabling optical control of fluorescent defects in h-BN. This knowledge, coupled with the spatial confinement to 2D and the unique electrical, optical, and mechanical properties of h-BN, will enable the use of these defects for quantum sensing and other applications in quantum information processing.