Quantum Light Emission from Coupled Defect States in DNA-Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT)
- Univ. of Houston, TX (United States)
- Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States). Smalley-Curl Inst.
- Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States). Smalley-Curl Inst.; Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States)
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Solid-state single-photon sources are essential building blocks for quantum photonics and quantum information technologies. This study demonstrates promising single-photon emission from quantum defects generated in single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by covalent reaction with guanine nucleotides in their single-stranded DNA coatings. Low-temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy and photon-correlation measurements on individual guanine-functionalized SWCNTs (GF-SWCNTs) indicate that multiple, closely spaced guanine defect sites within a single ssDNA strand collectively form an exciton trapping potential that supports a localized quantum state capable of room-temperature single-photon emission. In addition, exciton traps from adjacent ssDNA strands are weakly coupled to give cross-correlations between their separate photon emissions. Theoretical modeling identifies coupling mechanism as a capture of band-edge excitons. Finally, because the spatial pattern of nanotube functionalization sites can be readily controlled by selecting ssDNA base sequences, GF-SWCNTs should become a versatile family of quantum light emitters with engineered properties.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Science Foundation (NSF); Welch Foundation
- Grant/Contract Number:
- 89233218CNA000001; CHE-1803066; CHE-1664971; CHE-1836080; C-0807; E-1337
- OSTI ID:
- 1865009
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-21-24662
- Journal Information:
- ACS Nano, Vol. 15, Issue 6; ISSN 1936-0851
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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