Radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of single-photon emitters, and relates to a radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter and a preparation method thereof. The radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter comprises an hBN thin layer and an emitter; the emitter is disposed over the hBN thin layer, and the emitter is located within a range of 10 nm over the surface of the hBN thin layer. By using the hyperbolic dispersion characteristic of the hBN thin layer, the enhancement of the Purcell and the enhancement of the photon coupling output power can be realized in a broadband range. The single-photon emitter solves the problems that in an existing single-photon emitter, the photon Pelsel effect is enhanced, and the photon coupling output efficiency is low. Therefore, the application range of the material in photonics and quantum optics is expanded. Compared with an existing single-photon emitter, the single-photon emitter is simple in structure, does not need a complex manufacturing process, and reduces the manufacturing cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of single - photon emitters, and relates to a radiation - enhanced single - photon emitter and a preparation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In modern photonics, the manipulation and management of light at the nanoscale is an important research direction, which has broad application prospects in the fields of quantum information processing, sensing, and communication. Among them, the Purcell effect, that is, enhancing the spontaneous emission rate of a single - photon emitter through a specific optical structure, is one of the key technologies for realizing efficient photonic devices. Traditional methods for enhancing the Purcell effect of single - photon emitters usually rely on microcavities, waveguides, or plasmonic structures, but these methods are often limited by narrow - band operation and complex manufacturing processes. In recent years, hyperbolic materials have become an emerging platform for manipulating the interaction between photons and matter due to their unique optical properties, such as sub - wavelength confinement and high optical state density. As a natural hyperbolic material, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) exhibits excellent hyperbolic dispersion characteristics in a specific mid - infrared frequency range and does not require complex manufacturing processes, making it an ideal material for enhancing the interaction between photons and matter.

[0003] The single - photon emitter (SPE) is one of the key components. The radiation efficiency of traditional single - photon emitters is relatively low, and the enhancement of the Purcell effect is crucial for improving the radiation performance of single - photon emitters. Currently, the main technical solutions for enhancing the Purcell effect in traditional single - photon emitters include the following. The first is to use a microcavity structure. By placing the single - photon emitter in the microcavity, the high quality factor and small mode volume of the microcavity are used to enhance the spontaneous emission rate. The second is to adopt a waveguide structure. By designing specific waveguide modes, the interaction between photons and matter is enhanced. The third is to utilize a plasmonic structure. Through the local surface plasmon resonance effect of metal nanostructures, the Purcell effect is enhanced.

[0004] However, these existing technical solutions have some obvious disadvantages. For the microcavity structure, although a high Purcell enhancement can be achieved, its operation bandwidth is usually narrow, which limits its potential in broadband applications. In addition, the manufacturing process of microcavities is complex and the cost is high. For the waveguide structure, although a certain degree of Purcell enhancement can be achieved, its enhancement effect is often limited by the size and material properties of the waveguide, and it is difficult to achieve efficient photon extraction. For the plasmonic structure, although it has a high local field enhancement effect, the loss of metal materials is large, which reduces the efficiency of the device. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter and a preparation method thereof, so as to solve the problems of enhanced Purcell effect of photons and low photon coupling output efficiency in existing single-photon emitters.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions: In a first aspect, the present application discloses a radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter, including an hBN thin layer and an emitter; the emitter is disposed above the hBN thin layer, and the emitter is within 10 nm above the surface of the hBN thin layer.

[0007] Preferably, the emitter is a dipole emitter, and the dipole emitter is disposed above the hBN thin layer.

[0008] Preferably, the thickness of the hBN thin layer is 10 - 600 nm.

[0009] Preferably, the hBN thin layer exhibits Type-II hyperbolic dispersion characteristics in the wavelength range of 6.1 - 7.3 μm.

[0010] Preferably, the hBN thin layer exhibits Type-I hyperbolic dispersion characteristics in the wavelength range of 12.1 - 13.6 μm.

[0011] Preferably, the orientation of the dipole emitter is in-plane direction.

[0012] Preferably, the orientation of the dipole emitter is perpendicular to the plane.

[0013] Preferably, the dipole emitter is wavelength-tuned to match the hyperbolic dispersion region of the hBN thin layer.

[0014] In a second aspect, the present application also discloses a manufacturing method of the radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter according to any one of the above, including: using a material with hyperbolic dispersion characteristics as a base, and an emitter is disposed above it to obtain a radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter.

[0015] Preferably, when the emitter is a dipole emitter, then: Take an hBN thin layer with a thickness of 10 - 600 nm as the base, and dispose the dipole emitter within 10 nanometers above the surface of the hBN thin layer.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: A radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter according to the present invention utilizes the hyperbolic dispersion characteristics of hBN thin layers to achieve Purcell enhancement and enhanced photon coupling output power within a wide bandwidth. Thereby, it expands its application scope in photonics and quantum optics. Compared with existing single-photon emitters, the structure of the present invention is simple and does not require complex manufacturing processes, reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0017] A radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter according to the present invention has a base made of hBN thin layers. Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), as a natural hyperbolic material, can achieve its hyperbolic dispersion characteristics without complex manufacturing processes, thus simplifying the manufacturing process, reducing costs, and improving the reliability of the device. In addition, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has low material loss, especially in the mid-infrared frequency range, which can effectively reduce energy loss and improve the efficiency of photon devices. By optimizing the thickness of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and the orientation of the emitter, the present invention can effectively extract high-wave-number photons and improve the photon extraction efficiency, thereby enhancing the coupled output power of the single-photon emitter. The present invention does not require complex manufacturing processes, does not need to introduce additional photon extraction structures or materials, simplifies the design and manufacturing of the device, reduces the manufacturing cost, device complexity, and hardware design difficulty, and at the same time avoids the manufacturing defect problems caused by complex manufacturing processes in the prior art.

[0018] A radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter according to the present invention can achieve broadband Purcell enhancement and photon extraction by tuning the emission wavelength of the dipole emitter to match the hyperbolic dispersion characteristics of the hBN thin layer. Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides high tunability and flexibility, can optimize the Purcell enhancement effect according to specific application requirements, and solves the problems of lack of tunability and flexibility in the prior art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a dielectric constant distribution diagram of the hBN thin layer of an embodiment of the present invention; wherein, (a) is a real part distribution diagram; (b) is an imaginary part distribution diagram; Figure 3Graph of the Purcell factor as a function of wavelength for the dipole emitter of the embodiment of the present invention located 10 nm above the hBN thin layer at different hBN thin layer thicknesses; wherein, (a) is Type-II hyperbolic dispersion at a thickness of 10 nm; (b) is Type-II hyperbolic dispersion at a thickness of 100 nm; (c) is Type-II hyperbolic dispersion at a thickness of 600 nm; (d) is Type-I hyperbolic dispersion at a thickness of 10 nm; (e) is Type-I hyperbolic dispersion at a thickness of 100 nm; (f) is Type-I hyperbolic dispersion at a thickness of 600 nm. Figure 4 Graph of the photon coupled output power as a function of wavelength for the dipole emitter of the embodiment of the present invention located 10 nm above the hBN thin layer at different hBN thin layer thicknesses; wherein, (a) is Type-II hyperbolic dispersion at a thickness of 10 nm; (b) is Type-II hyperbolic dispersion at a thickness of 100 nm; (c) is Type-II hyperbolic dispersion at a thickness of 600 nm; (d) is Type-I hyperbolic dispersion at a thickness of 10 nm; (e) is Type-I hyperbolic dispersion at a thickness of 100 nm; (f) is Type-I hyperbolic dispersion at a thickness of 600 nm.

[0021] Wherein: 1 - base; 2 - emitter. Detailed implementation manners

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Usually, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0023] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed present invention, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] It should be noted that: similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings. Therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent drawings.

[0025] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that if terms such as "upper", "lower", "horizontal", "inner", etc. are used to indicate the orientation or positional relationship, it is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the invention product is usually placed during use. This is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. In addition, terms such as "first", "second", etc. are only used for distinguishing descriptions and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0026] In addition, if the term "horizontal" appears, it does not mean that the component is required to be absolutely horizontal, but it can be slightly inclined. For example, "horizontal" only means that its direction is more horizontal relative to "vertical", and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but it can be slightly inclined.

[0027] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should also be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, if terms such as "set", "installed", "connected", "coupled" are used, they should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific situations.

[0028] The following further describes the present invention in detail with reference to the drawings: See Figure 1 , this application discloses a radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter, including a hBN thin layer 1 and an emitter 2; the emitter 2 is arranged above the hBN thin layer 1, and the emitter 2 is within 10 nm above the surface of the hBN thin layer. Utilizing the hyperbolic dispersion characteristics of the hBN thin layer, Purcell enhancement and enhancement of the optical coupling output power can be achieved in a broadband range, thereby expanding its application scope in photonics and quantum optics.

[0029] In some embodiments, the emitter 2 is a dipole emitter, and the dipole emitter is disposed above a hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer. By utilizing the hyperbolic dispersion characteristics of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), this emitter can achieve Purcell enhancement and enhanced optical coupling output power within a broadband range, thereby expanding its application scope in photonics and quantum optics. At the same time, as a natural hyperbolic material, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) can realize its hyperbolic dispersion characteristics without complex manufacturing processes, thus simplifying the manufacturing process, reducing costs, and improving the reliability of the device. In addition, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has low material loss, especially in the mid-infrared frequency range, which can effectively reduce energy loss and improve the efficiency of photonic devices. By optimizing the thickness of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and the orientation of the emitter, the present invention can effectively extract high-wave-number photons, improve the photon extraction efficiency, and thus enhance the coupled output power of the single-photon emitter. Finally, by adjusting the thickness of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and the emission wavelength, the present invention provides a high degree of tunability and flexibility, and can optimize the Purcell enhancement effect according to specific application requirements.

[0030] In some embodiments, the thickness of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer is 10 - 600 nm.

[0031] In some embodiments, in view of the problems of low Purcell effect enhancement of photons and low photon coupling output efficiency in existing single-photon emitters, the present invention proposes a radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter, which includes a hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer and a dipole emitter.

[0032] The thickness of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer can be set to 10 nanometers to 600 nanometers in the present invention, and it exhibits Type-II hyperbolic dispersion characteristics in the wavelength range of 6.1 - 7.3; it exhibits Type-I hyperbolic dispersion characteristics in the wavelength range of 12.1 - 13.6 microns, as Figure 2 shown.

[0033] In some embodiments, the dipole emitter is within a range of 10 nanometers above the surface of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer. The orientation of the dipole emitter is in the x / y direction or the z direction, and it is wavelength-tuned to match the hyperbolic dispersion region of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer. Specifically, when the orientation of the dipole emitter is in the xy direction or the z direction, and the wavelength of the emitted light wave is consistent with the wavelength of type-II or type-I, it is considered that the tuning is completed at this time. Then, by adjusting the thickness of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer, the Purcell factor of photons and the photon coupled output power corresponding to hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layers with different thicknesses can be obtained.

[0034] The mechanism for enhancing the Purcell effect of the single-photon emitter is as follows: When the dipole emitter is excited, it emits photons. These photons then interact with the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) material. Since hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is a natural hyperbolic material, it exhibits hyperbolic dispersion characteristics in a specific mid-infrared frequency range. This hyperbolic dispersion characteristic enables hBN to support optical modes with high wave numbers, which are highly localized within hBN.

[0035] The mechanism for the coupled output of the single-photon emitter is that although the photon modes within hBN are highly localized, some photons can still convert the high wave vector modes into low wave vector modes through the surface phonon polariton mechanism of hBN, and thus be effectively coupled to the external environment. This coupling process is affected by factors such as the thickness of hBN, the emitter orientation, and the emission wavelength. By optimizing these parameters, efficient optical coupling and power extraction can be achieved.

[0036] Example In this example, the dipole emitter was placed 10 nm above the surface of the hBN thin layer, and the Purcell factor distributions at different thicknesses were obtained by adjusting the thicknesses of hBN to 10 nm, 100 nm, and 600 nm. The results showed that within a specific wavelength range, the Purcell factor was significantly enhanced, especially in the type-II and type-I hyperbolic dispersion regions, as Figure 3 shown. Among them, a - c show the Purcell factors calculated for type-II hyperbolic dispersion, and d - f show the Purcell factors calculated for type-I hyperbolic dispersion. The pink regions represent hyperbolic dispersion, while the other regions represent non-hyperbolic dispersion. "xy" represents the Purcell factor when the dipole emitter orientation is in the x and y directions, "z" represents the Purcell factor when the dipole emitter orientation is in the z direction, and "ave" represents the average of the Purcell factors when the dipole emitter orientation is in the x, y, and z directions.

[0037] In this example, the dipole emitter was placed 10 nm above the surface of the hBN thin layer, and the photon extraction efficiency distributions at different thicknesses were obtained by adjusting the thicknesses of hBN to 10 nm, 100 nm, and 600 nm. The results showed that within a specific wavelength range, the photon extraction efficiency was significantly improved, especially in the type-II and type-I hyperbolic dispersion regions, as Figure 4As shown. Among them, a - c show the extraction of the output coupling power calculated for type-II hyperbolic dispersion, and d - f show the extraction of the coupled output power calculated for type-I hyperbolic dispersion. "xy" represents the coupled output power when the dipole emitter is oriented in the x and y directions, "z" represents the coupled output power when the dipole emitter is oriented in the z direction, and "ave" represents the average value of the coupled output power when the dipole emitter is oriented in the x, y, and z directions. The extracted coupled power values are all normalized by the corresponding power emitted by the dipole source located above the surface of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer.

[0038] This application also discloses a method for fabricating a radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter. A material with hyperbolic dispersion characteristics is used as the base 1, and an emitter 2 is arranged above it to obtain a radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter. And the emitter 2 is a dipole emitter, the base 1 is a hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer, and the dipole emitter is arranged within a range of 10 nanometers above the surface of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer.

[0039] For the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer described above, its thickness is set to be 10 nanometers to 600 nanometers, and it exhibits type-II or type-I hyperbolic dispersion characteristics in the wavelength range of 6.1 - 7.3 microns or 12.1 - 13.6 microns.

[0040] The dipole emitter described above is located on the surface of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer, its orientation is in the x / y direction or the z direction, and it is wavelength-tuned to match the hyperbolic dispersion region of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer.

[0041] By adjusting the thickness of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer described above, the orientation of the dipole emitter, and the emission wavelength, the distribution of the Purcell factor and the power of the photon coupled output can be adjusted.

[0042] The dipole emitter is placed 10 nanometers above the surface of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin layer. By adjusting the thickness of hBN (10 nanometers, 100 nanometers, and 600 nanometers), as well as the orientation of the dipole emitter and the emission wavelength, the Purcell factor distribution of photons at different thicknesses is obtained. The results show that within a specific wavelength range, that is, the type-II and type-I hyperbolic dispersion regions, the Purcell factor of photons and the power of the photon coupled output are significantly enhanced.

[0043] A dipole emitter, which is located within a range of 10 nanometers above the surface of the hBN thin layer, is oriented in the xy direction or the z direction, and the wavelength of the emitted light wave can be adjusted. When the dipole emitter is oriented in the xy direction or the z direction, and the wavelength of the emitted light wave is consistent with that of type-II or type-I, the tuning is considered complete. Then, by adjusting the thickness of the hBN thin layer, the Purcell factor of photons and the photon coupled output power corresponding to hBN thin layers with different thicknesses can be obtained.

[0044] In some embodiments, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is selected as the core material for enhancing the Purcell effect of photons in the implementation of the present invention. In actual engineering, selecting other materials with hyperbolic dispersion characteristics, such as artificial hyperbolic metamaterials or natural hyperbolic materials, also falls within the scope of the technical solutions proposed by the present invention.

[0045] In some embodiments, a dipole emitter is selected as the emitter in the implementation of the present invention. In actual engineering, selecting other types of emitters, such as quantum dots, quantum wells, or quantum wires, etc., also falls within the scope of the technical solutions proposed by the present invention.

[0046] In summary, a radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter disclosed in this application utilizes the hyperbolic dispersion characteristics of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) to achieve Purcell enhancement and enhancement of the optical coupling output power within a broadband range, thereby expanding its application scope in photonics and quantum optics. At the same time, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), as a natural hyperbolic material, can achieve its hyperbolic dispersion characteristics without complex manufacturing processes, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process, reducing costs, and improving the reliability of the device. In addition, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has low material loss, especially in the mid-infrared frequency range, which can effectively reduce energy loss and improve the efficiency of photon devices. By optimizing the thickness of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and the orientation of the emitter, the present invention can effectively extract high-wave-number photons, improve the photon extraction efficiency, and thus enhance the coupled output power of the single-photon emitter. Finally, by adjusting the thickness of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and the emission wavelength, the present invention provides high tunability and flexibility, and can optimize the Purcell enhancement effect according to specific application requirements.

[0047] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can have various changes and modifications. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter, characterized in that, It includes an hBN thin layer (1) and a emitter (2); the emitter (2) is disposed above the hBN thin layer (1), and the emitter (2) is within 10 nm above the surface of the hBN thin layer.

2. A radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter according to claim 1, wherein the base is an hBN thin layer, and the emitter (2) is a dipole emitter, and the dipole emitter is disposed above the hBN thin layer.

3. A radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the hBN thin layer is 10 - 600 nm.

4. A radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter according to claim 1, wherein the hBN thin layer exhibits Type-II hyperbolic dispersion characteristics in the wavelength range of 6.1 - 7.3 μm.

5. A radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter according to claim 1, wherein the hBN thin layer exhibits Type-I hyperbolic dispersion characteristics in the wavelength range of 12.1 - 13.6 μm.

6. A radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter according to claim 1, wherein the orientation of the dipole emitter is in-plane direction.

7. A radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter according to claim 1, wherein the orientation of the dipole emitter is perpendicular to the plane.

8. A radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter according to claim 1, wherein the dipole emitter is wavelength-tuned to match the hyperbolic dispersion region of the hBN thin layer.

9. A method for fabricating a radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The emitter (2) is disposed above the hBN thin layer (1) and within 10 nanometers above the surface of the hBN thin layer.

10. The manufacturing method of a radiation-enhanced single-photon emitter according to claim 9, characterized in that, If the emitter (2) is a dipole emitter, then: Take an hBN thin layer with a thickness of 10 - 600 nm as the base, and dispose the dipole emitter within 10 nanometers above the surface of the hBN thin layer.

Images