Engineering and localization of quantum emitters in large hexagonal boron nitride layers

Abstract: Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is a wide bandgap van der Waals material that has recently emerged as promising platform for quantum photonics experiments. In this work we study the formation and localization of narrowband quantum emitters in large flakes (up to tens of microns wide) of hBN. The emitters can be activated in as-grown hBN by electron irradiation or high temperature annealing, and the emitter formation probability can be increased by ion implantation or focused laser irradiation of the as-grown material. Interestingly, we show that the emitters are always localized at edges of the flakes, unlike most luminescent point defects in 3D materials. Our results constitute an important step on the road map of deploying hBN in nanophotonics applications.