Nonradiative energy transfer between boron vacancies in hexagonal boron nitride and other two-dimensional materials
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Boron vacancies ($V_B^-$) in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) have emerged as a promising platform for two-dimensional quantum sensors capable of operating at atomic-scale proximity. However, the mechanisms responsible for photoluminescence quenching in thin hBN sensing layers when placed in contact with absorptive materials remain largely unexplored. In this Letter, we investigate non-radiative Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between $V_B^-$ centers and either monolayer graphene or 2D semiconductors. Strikingly, we find that the FRET rate is negligible for hBN sensing layers thicker than 3 nm, highlighting the potential of $V_B^-$ centers for integration into ultra-thin quantum sensors within van der Waals heterostructures. Furthermore, we experimentally extract the intrinsic radiative decay rate of $V_B^-$ defects.
DOI: 10.1103/8nrk-cs5x
Authors: Jules Fraunié, Mikhail M. Glazov, Sébastien Roux, Abraao Cefas Torres-Dias, Cora Crunteanu-Stanescu, Tom Fournier, Maryam S. Dehaghani, Tristan Clua-Provost, Delphine Lagarde, Laurent Lombez, Xavier Marie, Thomas Blon, Benjamin Lassagne, Thomas Poirier, James H. Edgar, Vincent Jacques, Cedric Robert
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie des Nano-Objets, Université de Toulouse, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon, Ioffe Institute, Université de Montpellier, Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Institut Universitaire de France, Kansas State University
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7212497729