UTS Scientists Tune Quantum Light in 2D Boron Nitride by Twisting 12-Atom-Thin Layers
Updated
Updated · ScienceDaily · Jun 20
UTS Scientists Tune Quantum Light in 2D Boron Nitride by Twisting 12-Atom-Thin Layers
3 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · Jun 20
Summary
University of Technology Sydney researchers showed that twisting stacked hexagonal boron nitride sheets can strongly change the color and wavelength emitted by embedded quantum light sources.
The team repeatedly lifted, rotated and restacked the material, giving continuous control over emitters instead of fixing a device at one twist angle as most studies do.
Hexagonal boron nitride enables that approach because its atom-thin layered structure can be separated and reassembled in ways conventional hosts such as diamond or silicon carbide cannot.
The work, published in Science Advances, points to more practical building blocks for quantum computing, secure communications and high-sensitivity sensing.
How will tuning quantum light accelerate the arrival of technologies like unhackable communication and advanced medical sensors?
Beyond the lab, can this delicate atomic-scale twisting process ever be scaled for mass-produced quantum devices?
What fundamental secret does twisting atoms unlock for controlling light and building future quantum computers?
100 meV Tunable Quantum Emitters in Twisted Boron Nitride: A Breakthrough for Room-Temperature Quantum Photonics and Deep-UV LEDs
Overview
In June 2026, researchers at the University of Technology Sydney and their collaborators introduced a groundbreaking way to control quantum light using twisted layers of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). By physically twisting these atomically thin sheets, they created a 'knob' that allows precise and repeatable tuning of the color and wavelength of light emitted from defects in the material. This twist not only reveals new physical behaviors but also enables a measurable shift of over 100 millielectron volts in emission properties, translating to a 30-nanometer tuning range. This discovery opens new possibilities for tunable quantum devices at room temperature.