Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 18, 2025
07:20
Trapping of Micro Particles in Nanoplasmonic Optical Lattice
Published on: September 5, 2017
6.7K
Coupling Spin Defects in a Layered Material to Nanoscale Plasmonic Cavities
Noah Mendelson1, Ritika Ritika1, Mehran Kianinia1,2
1School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, 2007, Australia.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|October 3, 2021
Summary
Negatively charged boron vacancy (VB-) centers in hexagonal boron nitride show weak photoluminescence. Coupling these defects to a plasmonic gap cavity significantly boosts their light emission for quantum sensing applications.
Area of Science:
- Quantum sensing
- Materials science
- Nanophotonics
Background:
- Spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), particularly the negatively charged boron vacancy (VB-), are promising for quantum sensing.
- VB- defects exhibit low quantum efficiency and weak photoluminescence, limiting their practical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a scalable method for enhancing the photoluminescence of VB- defects in hBN.
- To improve the performance of quantum sensing using 2D materials.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a plasmonic gap cavity using a flat gold surface and a silver cube.
- Positioning few-layer hBN flakes containing VB- defects within the plasmonic cavity.
- Optical characterization of VB- emission and optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) contrast.
Main Results:
- Achieved a two-order-of-magnitude enhancement in VB- photoluminescence.
- Observed a twofold increase in ODMR contrast.
- Demonstrated a scalable approach for enhancing defect emission.
Conclusions:
- Coupling VB- defects to plasmonic gap cavities significantly enhances their optical properties.
- This enhancement is crucial for advancing quantum sensing with 2D materials.
- The findings pave the way for novel nanophotonic devices incorporating spin defects in hBN.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Standing Waves in a Cavity
1.1K
A household microwave and lasers are examples of standing electromagnetic waves in a cavity. When two conducting metal plates are placed parallel at the nodal planes, it creates a cavity where standing waves are formed. The cavity between the two planes is analogous to a stretched string held at the points x = 0 and x = L. Here, the distance 'L' between the two planes must be an integer multiple of half of the wavelength. The wavelengths that satisfy this condition are given by:
1.1K
01:20Spin–Spin Coupling: Two-Bond Coupling (Geminal Coupling)
1.2K
Two NMR-active nuclei bonded to a central atom can be involved in geminal or two-bond coupling. Geminal coupling is commonly seen between diastereotopic protons in chiral molecules and unsymmetrical alkenes, among others.
The central atom need not be NMR-active because its electrons are affected by the electron polarization of the spin-active atoms. However, spin information is transmitted less effectively than in one-bond coupling, and 2J values are usually weaker than 1J values. The energy of...
The central atom need not be NMR-active because its electrons are affected by the electron polarization of the spin-active atoms. However, spin information is transmitted less effectively than in one-bond coupling, and 2J values are usually weaker than 1J values. The energy of...
1.2K
01:17Spin–Spin Coupling: One-Bond Coupling
1.1K
Coupling interactions are strongest between NMR-active nuclei bonded to each other, where spin information can be transmitted directly through the pair of bonding electrons. While nuclei polarize their electrons to the opposite spins, the bonding electron pair has opposite spins. Configurations with antiparallel nuclear spins are expected to be lower in energy. When coupling makes antiparallel states more favorable, J is considered to have a positive value. The one-bond coupling constant, 1J,...
1.1K
01:08Spin–Spin Coupling Constant: Overview
1.1K
In bromoethane, the three methyl protons are coupled to the two methylene protons that are three bonds away. In accordance with the n+1 rule, the signal from the methyl protons is split into three peaks with 1:2:1 relative intensities. The methylene protons appear as a quartet, with the relative intensities of 1:3:3:1.
Qualitatively, any spin plus-half nucleus polarizes the spins of its electrons to the minus-half state. Consequently, the paired electron in the hydrogen–carbon bond must...
Qualitatively, any spin plus-half nucleus polarizes the spins of its electrons to the minus-half state. Consequently, the paired electron in the hydrogen–carbon bond must...
1.1K
01:22Spin–Spin Coupling: Three-Bond Coupling (Vicinal Coupling)
1.2K
Vicinal or three-bond coupling is commonly observed between protons attached to adjacent carbons. Here, nuclear spin information is primarily transferred via electron spin interactions between adjacent C‑H bond orbitals. This generally favors the antiparallel arrangement of spins, so 3J values are usually positive.
The extent of coupling depends on the C‑C bond length, the two H‑C‑C angles, any electron-withdrawing substituents, and the dihedral angle between the...
The extent of coupling depends on the C‑C bond length, the two H‑C‑C angles, any electron-withdrawing substituents, and the dihedral angle between the...
1.2K
01:08NMR Spectroscopy: Spin–Spin Coupling
2.0K
The spin state of an NMR-active nucleus can have a slight effect on its immediate electronic environment. This effect propagates through the intervening bonds and affects the electronic environments of NMR-active nuclei up to three bonds away; occasionally, even farther. This phenomenon is called spin–spin coupling or J-coupling. Coupling interactions are mutual and result in small changes in the absorption frequencies of both nuclei involved. While nuclei of the same element are involved...
2.0K