Nanometer Resolution Structure‐Emission Correlation of Individual Quantum Emitters via Enhanced Cathodoluminescence in Twisted Hexagonal Boron Nitride

• Published in: Advanced materials (Weinheim) p. e01611
• Main Authors: Hou, Hanyu, Hua, Muchuan, Kolluru, Venkata Surya Chaitanya, Chen, Wei‐Ying, Yin, Kaijun, Tripathi, Pinak, Chan, Maria K.Y., Diroll, Benjamin T., Gage, Thomas E., Zuo, Jian‐Min, Wen, Jianguo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 24.07.2025
• Subjects: atomic structure; cathodoluminescence; single photon emitter; quantum emitter; hexagonal boron nitride; twisted interface; 2D material; quantum information science
• ISSN: 0935-9648; 1521-4095; 1521-4095
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.202501611

Understanding the atomic structure of quantum emitters, often originating from point defects or impuritie, is essential for designing and optimizing materials for quantum technologies such as quantum computing, communication, and sensing. Despite the availability of atomic‐resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy and nanoscale cathodoluminescence microscopy, experimentally determining the atomic structure of individual emitters is challenging due to the conflicting needs for thick samples to generate strong cathodoluminescence signals and thin samples for structural analysis. To overcome this challenge, significantly enhanced cathodoluminescence at twisted interfaces is leveraged to achieve sub‐nanometer localization precision for the first time in mapping individual quantum emitters in carbon‐implanted hexagonal boron nitride. This unprecedent spatial sensitivity, together with correlative electron energy loss spectroscopy quantitative scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging, and first principles density functional theory calculations, enables the identification of the atomic structure of the 440 nm blue emitter in hexagonal boron nitride as a substituted vertical carbon dimer. Building on the atomic structure insights, nanoscale spatially precise creation of blue emitters is demonstrated by electron beam irradiation of carbon‐coated hexagonal boron nitride. This advancement in correlating atomic structures with optical properties lays the foundation for a deeper understanding and precise engineering of quantum emitters, significantly advancing the development of cutting‐edge quantum information technologies.