Stark Effect of Blue Quantum Emitters in Hexagonal Boron Nitride
Ivan Zhigulin, Jake Horder, Viktor Ivády, Simon White, Angus Gale, Chi Li, Charlene J. Lobo, Milos Toth, Igor Aharonovich, Mehran Kianinia
Abstract
Inhomogeneous broadening is a major limitation for the application of quantum emitters in hexagonal boron nitride to integrated quantum photonics. Here we demonstrate that so-called blue emitters with an emission wavelength of 436 nm are less sensitive to electric fields than other quantum emitters in hexagonal boron nitride. Our measurements reveal a weak, predominantly quadratic Stark effect that indicates a negligible transition dipole moment of the defect. Using these results, we discuss implications for the symmetry of the defect and use density-functional-theory simulations to identify a likely atomic structure of blue emitters in hexagonal boron nitride.