@Article{Hernandez-Minguez_prappl_2018,
  author    = {Hern\'andez-M\'{\i}nguez, A. and L\"ahnemann, J. and Nakhaie, S. and Lopes, J. M. J. and Santos, P. V.},
  title     = {Luminescent Defects in a Few-Layer {$h$-BN} Film Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy},
  journal   = {Phys. Rev. Applied},
  year      = {2018},
  volume    = {10},
  pages     = {044031},
  doi       = {10.1103/PhysRevApplied.10.044031},
  issue     = {4},
  arxiv     = {1902.08528},
  abstract  = {We report on luminescent centers contained in a few-layer-thick hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) film
grown on Ni by molecular beam epitaxy. After transfer to a SiO$_2$ /Si substrate, sharp lines are observed in
photo- and cathodoluminescence spectra in both the ultraviolet and the visible range. Spatially resolved
measurements reveal that the luminescent centers responsible for these lines are localized within micro-
scopic multilayer islands that form at the nucleation centers of the h-BN film. The comparison of their
energy, polarization, and phonon-replica emission with previous theoretical predictions suggest that the
N$_B$V$_N$ antisite could be one of the light emitters present in our sample. Moreover, we also observe evidence
of other kinds of centers that could be associated to defects containing carbon or oxygen. The characterized
luminescent defects could have potential applications as quantum light sources.},
}