Electrically driven strain-induced deterministic single-photon emitters in a van der Waals heterostructure.

Area of Science:

• Quantum optics
• Materials science
• Condensed matter physics

Background:

• Quantum confinement in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) facilitates single-photon emitter development.
• Local strain engineering offers control over photon position and polarization.
• Existing electrically pumped TMDC emitters lack controlled emission sites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate electrically driven single-photon emitters with controlled positions using strain.
• To analyze the optical, electrical, and mechanical properties of strained TMDCs.
• To advance the implementation of integrated quantum light sources.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of van der Waals heterostructures (graphene/h-BN/WSe2).
• Indentation using atomic force microscopy to induce local strain gradients.
• Optical and electrical characterization of emission properties at 4 Kelvin.

Main Results:

• Electrically driven single-photon emission localized at strain-induced indentation sites.
• Demonstration of photon antibunching (g(2)(0) ~0.3) and intensity saturation.
• Observation of a linearly cross-polarized doublet emission spectrum.

Conclusions:

• Strain engineering provides robust spatial control for electrically driven single-photon emitters.
• This method is crucial for developing practical, integrated quantum light sources.
• The findings pave the way for scalable quantum technologies.