Deterministic creation of room-temperature blue-center emitters in carbon-doped h-BN

Single-photon emitters (SPEs) in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) offer a promising platform for quantum photonics, owing to their room temperature stability. Among them, blue-centers (B-centers) emitting near 436 nm, have drawn special attention for their reproducibility and spectral purity [1]. B-center activation is achieved by electron-beam irradiation of carbon-related defects [2], and the two-dimensional nature of h-BN further facilitates efficient carrier injection for optical excitation. However, achieving deterministic and reproducible SPE generation remains a key challenge for device integration. In this study, we investigate the deterministic creation of B-centers in carbon-doped h-BN (C:h-BN) through a systematic defect engineering workflow, where irradiation parameters such as dose and dwell time are precisely tuned. To analyze the resulting emission properties, extensive optical characterizations are performed including time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy and second order photon correlation measurement. This statistical approach enables optimization of irradiation parameters to maximize emitter creation probability while ensuring spatial control. The study thus demonstrates reproducible creation of stable B-centers, suitable for integrating into more complex optoelectronic architectures for future quantum technologies.

[1] C. Fournier et al., Nat. Commun. 12, 1–6 (2021)

[2] S. Nedić et al., Adv. Opt. Mater. 12, 2400908 (2024)