Solid-state single-photon sources: recent advances for novel quantum materials

In this review, we describe the current landscape of emergent quantum materials for quantum photonic applications. We focus on three specific solid-state platforms: single emitters in monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides, defects in hexagonal boron nitride, and colloidal quantum dots in perovskites. These platforms share a unique technological accessibility, enabling the rapid implementation of testbed quantum applications, all while being on the verge of becoming technologically mature enough for a first generation of real-world quantum applications. The review begins with a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art for relevant single-photon sources in the solid-state, introducing the most important performance criteria and experimental characterization techniques along the way. We then benchmark progress for each of the three novel materials against more established (yet complex) platforms, highlighting performance, material-specific advantages, and giving an outlook on quantum applications. This review will thus provide the reader with a snapshot on latest developments in the fast-paced field of emergent single-photon sources in the solid-state, including all the required concepts and experiments relevant to this technology.