Non-radiative energy transfer between boron vacancies in hexagonal boron nitride and other 2D materials

Abstract: Boron vacancies ($V_B^-$) in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) have emerged as a promising platform for two-dimensional quantum sensors capable of operating at atomic-scale proximity. However, the mechanisms responsible for photoluminescence quenching in thin hBN sensing layers when placed in contact with absorptive materials remain largely unexplored. In this Letter, we investigate non-radiative Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between $V_B^-$ centers and either monolayer graphene or 2D semiconductors. Strikingly, we find that the FRET rate is negligible for hBN sensing layers thicker than 3 nm, highlighting the potential of $V_B^-$ centers for integration into ultra-thin quantum sensors within van der Waals heterostructures. Furthermore, we experimentally extract the intrinsic radiative decay rate of $V_B^-$ defects.