Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41593334›Full record

ArticleNature materials2026

Narrowband quantum emitters in hexagonal boron nitride with optically addressable spins.

Benjamin Whitefield, Helen Zhi Jie Zeng, James Liddle-Wesolowski, Islay O Robertson, Ádám Ganyecz, Viktor Ivády, Kenji Watanabe, Takashi Taniguchi, Milos Toth, Jean-Philippe Tetienne and 2 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Nature materials, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Benjamin Whitefield *School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-7666-7578
Helen Zhi Jie Zeng *School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9395-8178
James Liddle-WesolowskiSchool of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia.
Islay O RobertsonSchool of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6477-517X
Ádám GanyeczDepartment of Physics of Complex Systems, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8828-0283
Viktor IvádyDepartment of Physics of Complex Systems, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0111-5101
Kenji WatanabeResearch Center for Electronic and Optical Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3701-8119
Takashi TaniguchiResearch Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1467-3105
Milos TothSchool of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1564-4899
Jean-Philippe TetienneSchool of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5796-2508
Igor AharonovichSchool of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia. igor.aharonovich@uts.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4304-3935
Mehran KianiniaSchool of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia. mehran.kianinia@uts.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4073-1492

Funding

Department of Education and Training | Australian Research Council (ARC) CE200100010Department of Education and Training | Australian Research Council (ARC) DP240103127Department of Education and Training | Australian Research Council (ARC) DP250100973Department of Education and Training | Australian Research Council (ARC) FT200100073Department of Education and Training | Australian Research Council (ARC) FT220100053MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) 21H05233MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) 23H02052MEXT | JST | Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) JPMJCR24A5
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Electron spins coupled with optical transitions in solids stand out as a promising platform for developing spin-based quantum technologies. Recently, hexagonal boron nitride has emerged as a promising host for optically addressable spin systems. However, controlled generation of isolated single-photon emitters with predetermined spin transitions has remained elusive. Here we report on a single-step thermal processing of hexagonal boron nitride flakes that produces high-density, narrowband quantum emitters with optically active spin transitions, with over 25% of the emitters exhibiting a clear signature of an optical spin read-out at room temperature. The generated spin defect complexes exhibit both S = 1 and S = 1/2 transitions, which are explained by charge transfer from strongly to weakly coupled spin pairs. Our work advances the understanding of spin complexes in hexagonal boron nitride and paves the way for single spin-photon interfaces in layered materials with applications in quantum sensing and information processing.

Identifiers

PMID41593334

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.