Ambient pressure response of spin defects in two-dimensional materials

Abstract

Spin defects in two-dimensional (2D) materials emerge as promising platforms for quantum sensing applications. The thin-film characteristic of these materials is their most unique feature, distinguishing them from traditional three-dimensional (3D) materials. This feature is particularly suitable for transferring ambient (gas) pressure to internal strain in the 2D material, which can be quantitatively detected via spin defects such as the negatively charged boron vacancy (V_B⁻) in 2D hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). By designing a sealed structure featuring a specific hBN suspension and generating (V_B⁻) spin defects by ion implantation, we experimentally examined this kind of ambient pressure sensor. We established the relationship between external pressure and the energy-level shift of spin defects. Our study is the first to demonstrate a quantum sensor based on spin defects in 2D materials designed for ambient pressure measurements, which is of great significance for future quantum sensing application.