Journal Article

A substitutional quantum defect in WS2 discovered by high-throughput computational screening and fabricated by site-selective STM manipulation

Barker, Bradford A., Rossi, Antonio, Rignanese, Gian-Marco, Weber-Bargioni, Alexander, Strubbe, David A., Chen, Weiru, Zhou, Da, Rotenberg, Eli, Schwartzberg, Adam, Noack, Marcus M., Robinson, Joshua A., Zhou, Junze, Griffin, Sinéad, Chen, Wei, Xiong, Yihuang, Yu, Zhuohang, Raja, Archana, Thomas, John C., Barnard, Edward S., Hautier, Geoffroy, Ogletree, D. Frank, Terrones, Mauricio, Kelly, Nolan, Kumari, Shalini

2024

Overview

Point defects in two-dimensional materials are of key interest for quantum information science. However, the parameter space of possible defects is immense, making the identification of high-performance quantum defects very challenging. Here, we perform high-throughput (HT) first-principles computational screening to search for promising quantum defects within WS 2 , which present localized levels in the band gap that can lead to bright optical transitions in the visible or telecom regime. Our computed database spans more than 700 charged defects formed through substitution on the tungsten or sulfur site. We found that sulfur substitutions enable the most promising quantum defects. We computationally identify the neutral cobalt substitution to sulfur ( Co S 0 ) and fabricate it with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The Co S 0 electronic structure measured by STM agrees with first principles and showcases an attractive quantum defect. Our work shows how HT computational screening and nanoscale synthesis routes can be combined to design promising quantum defects. Point defects in 2D semiconductors have potential for quantum computing applications, but their controlled design and synthesis remains challenging. Here, the authors identify and fabricate a promising quantum defect in 2D WS 2 via high-throughput computational screening and scanning tunnelling microscopy.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group,Nature Portfolio
• Subject: 639/301/119/995 / 639/766/483/481 / Cobalt / Computer applications / CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY / Design defects / electronic properties and materials / Electronic structure / First principles / Humanities and Social Sciences / Microscopy / multidisciplinary / Parameter identification / Point defects / Quantum computing / quantum information / Quantum phenomena / Scanning tunneling microscopy / Science / Science (multidisciplinary) / Screening / Substitutes / Sulfur / Synthesis / Tungsten / Tungsten disulfide / Two dimensional materials