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Sharp zero-phonon lines of single organic molecules on a hexagonal boron-nitride surface

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Smit

    (Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, LION)

  • Arash Tebyani

    (Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, LION)

  • Jil Hameury

    (Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, LION)

  • Sense Jan van der Molen

    (Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, LION)

  • Michel Orrit

    (Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, LION)

Abstract

Single fluorescent molecules embedded in the bulk of host crystals have proven to be sensitive probes of the dynamics in their nano environment, thanks to their narrow (about 30–50 MHz or 0.1–0.2 μeV) optical linewidth of the 0-0 zero-phonon line (0-0 ZPL) at cryogenic temperatures. However, the optical linewidths of the 0-0 ZPL have been found to increase dramatically as the single molecules are located closer to a surface or interface, while no 0-0 ZPL has been detected for single molecules on any surface. Here we study single terrylene molecules adsorbed on the surface of hexagonal boron-nitride (hBN) substrates. Our low-temperature results show that it is possible to observe the 0-0 ZPL of fluorescent molecules on a surface. We compare our results for molecules deposited on the surfaces of annealed and non-annealed hBN flakes and we see a marked improvement in the spectral stability of the emitters after annealing.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Smit & Arash Tebyani & Jil Hameury & Sense Jan van der Molen & Michel Orrit, 2023. "Sharp zero-phonon lines of single organic molecules on a hexagonal boron-nitride surface," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-42865-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42865-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Clarisse Fournier & Alexandre Plaud & Sébastien Roux & Aurélie Pierret & Michael Rosticher & Kenji Watanabe & Takashi Taniguchi & Stéphanie Buil & Xavier Quélin & Julien Barjon & Jean-Pierre Hermier &, 2021. "Position-controlled quantum emitters with reproducible emission wavelength in hexagonal boron nitride," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-6, December.
    2. Gabriele Grosso & Hyowon Moon & Benjamin Lienhard & Sajid Ali & Dmitri K. Efetov & Marco M. Furchi & Pablo Jarillo-Herrero & Michael J. Ford & Igor Aharonovich & Dirk Englund, 2017. "Tunable and high-purity room temperature single-photon emission from atomic defects in hexagonal boron nitride," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-8, December.
    3. Penglong Ren & Shangming Wei & Weixi Liu & Shupei Lin & Zhaohua Tian & Tailin Huang & Jianwei Tang & Yaocheng Shi & Xue-Wen Chen, 2022. "Photonic-circuited resonance fluorescence of single molecules with an ultrastable lifetime-limited transition," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
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