Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has recently been shown to host native defects exhibiting optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) with applications in nanoscale magnetic sensing and imaging. To advance these applications, deposition methods to create wafer-scale hBN films with controlled thicknesses are desirable, but a systematic study of the ODMR properties of the resultant films is lacking. Here we perform ODMR measurements of thin films (3–2000 nm thick) grown via three different methods: metal–organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD), CVD, and molecular beam epitaxy. We find that they all exhibit an ODMR response, including the thinnest 3 nm film, albeit with different characteristics. The best volume-normalized magnetic sensitivity obtained is 30 µ T Hz − 1 / 2 μ m 3 / 2 . We study the effect of growth temperature on a series of MOCVD samples grown under otherwise fixed conditions and find 800 ∘ C–900 ∘ C to be an optimum range for magnetic sensitivity, with a significant improvement (up to two orders of magnitude) from post-growth annealing. This work provides a useful baseline for the magnetic sensitivity of hBN thin films deposited via standard methods and informs the feasibility of future sensing applications.
Source: Materials for Quantum Technology
Authors: Sam C Scholten, Jakub Iwański, Kaijian Xing, Johannes Binder, Aleksandra K Dąbrowska, Hark H Tan, Tin S Cheng, Jonathan Bradford, Christopher J Mellor, Peter H Beton, Sergei V Novikov, Simonas Krotkus, Jan Mischke, Emre Yengel, Alex Henning, Sergej Pasko, Andrzej Wysmołek, Jean-Philippe Tetienne
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,695
Awards: Growth of hexagonal boron nitride for deep ultraviolet photonics, quantum emitters and van der Waals substrates, Verbundprojekt: Neuro-inspirierte Technologien der künstlichen Intelligenz für die Elektronik der Zukunft - NEUROTEC II -, Spins in flatland: a new platform for quantum sensing, Boron-based semiconductors - the next generation of high thermal conductivity materials, Konzepte und Strategien für die Gewinnung von Arbeitnehemrvertretern in Prüfungsausschüssen, Unlocking the potential of magnetic 2D materials with quantum microscopy, ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems
OpenAlex ID: W4416199349