Microsphere-assisted generation of localized optical emitters in 2D hexagonal boron nitride
Crystal defects in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are emerging as versatile nanoscale optical probes with a wide application profile, spanning the fields of nanophotonics, biosensing, bioimaging, and quantum information processing. However, generating these crystal defects as reliable optical emitter...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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De Gruyter
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Nanophotonics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2024-0625 |
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| author | Yang Xiliang Shin Dong Hoon Watanabe Kenji Taniguchi Takashi Steeneken Peter G. Caneva Sabina |
| author_facet | Yang Xiliang Shin Dong Hoon Watanabe Kenji Taniguchi Takashi Steeneken Peter G. Caneva Sabina |
| author_sort | Yang Xiliang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Crystal defects in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are emerging as versatile nanoscale optical probes with a wide application profile, spanning the fields of nanophotonics, biosensing, bioimaging, and quantum information processing. However, generating these crystal defects as reliable optical emitters remains challenging due to the need for deterministic defect placement and precise control of the emission area. Here, we demonstrate an approach that integrates microspheres with hBN crystal lattices to enhance both hBN defect generation and optical signal readout. This technique harnesses microspheres to amplify light–matter interactions at the nanoscale through two mechanisms: focused femtosecond (fs) laser irradiation into a photonic nanojet (PNJ) for highly localized defect generation and enhanced light collection via the whispering gallery mode (WGM) effect. Our microsphere-assisted defect generation method reduces the emission area by a factor of 5 and increases the fluorescence collection efficiency by approximately 10 times compared to microsphere-free samples. These advancements in defect generation precision and signal collection efficiency open new possibilities for optical emitter manipulation in hBN, with potential applications in quantum technologies and nanoscale sensing. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d8c45dd0d74b491ca3bcfa7cc547fa18 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2192-8614 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanophotonics |
| spelling | doaj-art-d8c45dd0d74b491ca3bcfa7cc547fa182025-08-20T03:13:23ZengDe GruyterNanophotonics2192-86142025-06-0114142419243010.1515/nanoph-2024-0625Microsphere-assisted generation of localized optical emitters in 2D hexagonal boron nitrideYang Xiliang0Shin Dong Hoon1Watanabe Kenji2Taniguchi Takashi3Steeneken Peter G.4Caneva Sabina5Department of Precision and Microsystems Engineering, 2860Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD, Delft, The NetherlandsDepartment of Electronics and Information Engineering, Korea University, Sejong30019, Republic of KoreaNational Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki305-0044, JapanNational Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki305-0044, JapanDepartment of Precision and Microsystems Engineering, 2860Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD, Delft, The NetherlandsDepartment of Precision and Microsystems Engineering, 2860Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD, Delft, The NetherlandsCrystal defects in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are emerging as versatile nanoscale optical probes with a wide application profile, spanning the fields of nanophotonics, biosensing, bioimaging, and quantum information processing. However, generating these crystal defects as reliable optical emitters remains challenging due to the need for deterministic defect placement and precise control of the emission area. Here, we demonstrate an approach that integrates microspheres with hBN crystal lattices to enhance both hBN defect generation and optical signal readout. This technique harnesses microspheres to amplify light–matter interactions at the nanoscale through two mechanisms: focused femtosecond (fs) laser irradiation into a photonic nanojet (PNJ) for highly localized defect generation and enhanced light collection via the whispering gallery mode (WGM) effect. Our microsphere-assisted defect generation method reduces the emission area by a factor of 5 and increases the fluorescence collection efficiency by approximately 10 times compared to microsphere-free samples. These advancements in defect generation precision and signal collection efficiency open new possibilities for optical emitter manipulation in hBN, with potential applications in quantum technologies and nanoscale sensing.https://doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2024-0625hexagonal boron nitrideoptical emittermicrospherelaser fabrication |
| spellingShingle | Yang Xiliang Shin Dong Hoon Watanabe Kenji Taniguchi Takashi Steeneken Peter G. Caneva Sabina Microsphere-assisted generation of localized optical emitters in 2D hexagonal boron nitride Nanophotonics hexagonal boron nitride optical emitter microsphere laser fabrication |
| title | Microsphere-assisted generation of localized optical emitters in 2D hexagonal boron nitride |
| title_full | Microsphere-assisted generation of localized optical emitters in 2D hexagonal boron nitride |
| title_fullStr | Microsphere-assisted generation of localized optical emitters in 2D hexagonal boron nitride |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microsphere-assisted generation of localized optical emitters in 2D hexagonal boron nitride |
| title_short | Microsphere-assisted generation of localized optical emitters in 2D hexagonal boron nitride |
| title_sort | microsphere assisted generation of localized optical emitters in 2d hexagonal boron nitride |
| topic | hexagonal boron nitride optical emitter microsphere laser fabrication |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2024-0625 |
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