Optical detection of charge defects near a graphene transistor using the Stark shift of fluorescent molecules

• Published in: APL quantum Vol. 2; no. 3
• Main Authors: Ciancico, Carlotta, Torre, Iacopo, Terrés, Bernat, Moreno, Alvaro, Smit, Robert, Watanabe, Kenji, Taniguchi, Takashi, Orrit, Michel, Koppens, Frank, Reserbat-Plantey, Antoine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.09.2025
• ISSN: 2835-0103; 2835-0103
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0274182

Two-dimensional crystals and their heterostructures unlock access to a class of photonic devices, bringing nanophotonics from the nanometer scale down to the atomic level where quantum effects are relevant. Single-photon emitters are central in quantum photonics as quantum markers linked to their electrostatic, thermal, magnetic, or dielectric environment. This aspect is exciting in two-dimensional (2D) crystals and their heterostructures, where the environment can be abruptly modified through vertical stacking or lateral structuring, such as moiré or nano-patterned gates. To further develop 2D-based quantum photonic devices, there is a need for quantum markers that are capable of integration into various device geometries and that can be read out individually, non-destructively, and without additional electrodes. Here, we show how to optically detect charge carrier accumulation using sub-GHz linewidth SPEs coupled to a graphene device. We employ the single molecule Stark effect, sensitive to the electric fields generated by charge puddles, such as those at the graphene edge. The same approach enables dynamic sensing of electronic noise, and we demonstrate the optical readout of low-frequency white noise in a biased graphene device. The approach described here can be further exploited to explore charge dynamics in 2D heterostructures using quantum emitter markers.