Luminescent centers in the two-dimensional material hexagonal boron nitride have the potential to enable quantum applications at room temperature. To be used for applications, it is crucial to generate these centers in a controlled manner and to identify their microscopic nature. Here, we present a method inspired by irradiation engineering with oxygen atoms. We systematically explore the influence of the kinetic energy and the irradiation fluence on the generation of luminescent centers. We find modifications of their density for both parameters, while a fivefold enhancement is observed with increasing fluence. Molecular dynamics simulations clarify the generation mechanism of these centers and their microscopic nature. We infer that VNCB and VB− are the most likely centers formed. Ab initio calculations of their optical properties show excellent agreement with our experiments. Our methodology generates quantum emitters in a controlled manner and provides insights into their microscopic nature.

Various thin-film I2-II-IV-VI4 photovoltaic absorbers derived from kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 have been synthesized, characterized, and theoretically investigated in the past few years. The availability of this homogeneous materials dataset is an...

Cu 2 BaSnS 4 (CBTS) and Cu 2 SrSnS 4 (CSTS) semiconductors have been recently proposed as potential wide band gap photovoltaic absorbers. Although several measurements indicate that they are less affected by band tailing than their parent compound Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 , their photovoltaic efficiencies are still low. To identify possible issues, we characterize CBTS and CSTS in parallel by a variety of spectroscopic methods complemented by first-principles calculations. Two main problems are identified in both materials. The first is the existence of deep defect transitions in low-temperature photoluminescence, pointing to a high density of bulk recombination centers. The second is their low electron affinity, which emphasizes the need for an alternative heterojunction partner and electron contact. We also find a tendency for downward band bending at the surface of both materials. In CBTS, this effect is sufficiently large to cause carrier-type inversion, which may enhance carrier separation and mitigate interface recombination. Optical absorption at room temperature is excitonenhanced in both CBTS and CSTS. Deconvolution of excitonic effects yields band gaps that are about 100 meV higher than previous estimates based on Tauc plots. Although the two investigated materials are remarkably similar in an idealized, defect-free picture, the present work points to CBTS as a more promising absorber than CSTS for tandem photovoltaics.

To identify the microscopic origin of single-photon emitters in hexagonal boron nitride, we perform low-temperature spectroscopy. We observe strong photoluminescence at two different excitation lasers that hint at a phonon-assisted excitation scheme.

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