Single-photon emitters in layered van der Waals materials

Michaelis de Vasconcellos, S.; Wigger, D.; Wurstbauer, U.; Holleitner, A.W.; Bratschitsch, R.; Kuhn, T.

Abstract

Single-photon emitters (SPEs) have recently been discovered in various atomically thin materials. Their properties, controllability, and the possibility of their monolithic integration in electronic and photonic device structures make them attractive candidates for a wide range of applications in quantum information and communication, and also in other fields of physics and technology. In this review article, an overview of SPEs in layered van der Waals materials and their physical properties is given, theoretical concepts for the modeling of their level structure and their coupling to phonons are presented, and techniques for the creation and localization of these emitters in the host material are described. Perspectives for their application in various fields, such as their coupling to photonic resonators and waveguides, their control by external electric fields or strain, and their integration in optomechanical devices are discussed. Finally, functionalities relying on properties beyond single-photon emission are briefly addressed.