Spectral and magnetic properties of impurity Tm3+ ions in YF3

Stark structure of 3H6, 3H5, 3H4, 3F4, 3F3, 3F2 and 1G4 multiplets of impurity non-Kramers Tm3+ ions in the orthorhombic YF3 crystal has been determined from luminescence studies. High frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra (~ 207 GHz) of Tm3+ ions have been measured at temperature 4.2 K in external magnetic field applied perpendicular to the b-axis of YF3:Tm3+ single crystal. The results of measurements are interpreted in the frameworks of the crystal field theory. The set of crystal field parameters related to the crystallographic system of coordinates of the YF3 lattice has been obtained and used to reproduce satisfactory the crystal field energies and the EPR spectra

Creation of negatively charged boron vacancies in hexagonal boron nitride crystal by electron irradiation and mechanism of inhomogeneous broadening of boron vacancy-related spin resonance lines

Optically addressable high-spin states (S ≥ 1) of defects in semiconductors are the basis for the development of solid-state quantum technologies. Recently, one such defect has been found in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and identified as a negatively charged boron vacancy (V−B ). To explore and utilize the properties of this defect, one needs to design a robust way for its creation in an hBN crystal. We investigate the possibility of creating V−B centers in an hBN single crystal by means of irradiation with a high-energy (E = 2 MeV) electron flux. Optical excitation of the irradiated sample induces fluorescence in the near-infrared range together with the electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrum of the triplet centers with a zero-field splitting value of D = 3.6 GHz, manifesting an optically induced population inversion of the ground state spin sublevels. These observations are the signatures of the V−B centers and demonstrate that electron irradiation can be reliably used to create these centers in hBN. Exploration of the V−B spin resonance line shape allowed us to establish the source of the line broadening, which occurs due to the slight deviation in orientation of the two-dimensional B-N atomic plains being exactly parallel relative to each other. The results of the analysis of the broadening mechanism can be used for the crystalline quality control of the 2D materials, using the V−B spin embedded in the hBN as a probe