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Optically active defects in wide band gap materials are promising building block for room temperature quantum information processing. Here, the authors connect the experimental variance in the optical spectra, optical lifetimes and spectral stability of quantum emitters to the distance-dependent donor-acceptor pairs in the two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride.

Integration of color centers in wide-band semiconductors with electronic and photonic devices is required for their applications in quantum technologies. Here the authors report electronic, optical and spin control of a single vacancy center in a 4H-SiC Schottky diode integrated with optical microstructures.

The electron–vibration coupling is essential to describe the photoelectron properties of molecules. Here, the authors show theoretically and experimentally that the electron–vibration coupling is very large in diamonoids, and link the deduced vibronic states to the well-known Jahn–Teller effect.

Computational search for defect centers in semiconductors typically assumes that the defects realize the most thermodynamically stable configuration. Here the authors demonstrate, for a complex defect in silicon, that this is not always the case if the kinetics of defect formation is taken into account.

Optically active defects in hBN are promising for quantum sensing and information applications, however, coherent control of a single defect has not been achieved so far. By using an efficient method to produce arrays of defects in hBN, Guo et al. isolate a new carbon-related defect and show its coherent control.

Understanding the coherent dynamics of electron and nucleus spins in hBN is crucial for their applications as qubits and quantum sensors. Here the authors report room-temperature coherent manipulation of the negatively charged boron vacancy spins in hBN and study their dynamics under weak and strong magnetic fields.

Recent work has demonstrated controlled fabrication of single carbon defect spins in the two-dimensional material WS₂. Here, the authors use ab initio methods to determine the electronic and optical properties of this defect, establishing it as a viable qubit candidate operating close to the telecom band.

Optically detected magnetic resonance of defect spins typically relies on Stokes excitation, in which the excitation energy is larger than that of the emitted photon. Here, the authors use the opposite regime of anti-Stokes excitation to detect Si vacancy spins in SiC, with a threefold improvement in signal contrast.

This work presents a theoretical investigation of the single carbon interstitial (Ci) defect in silicon as a potential candidate for spin-photon interfaces. Computed charge transition levels and optical properties show good agreement with the experimental results and allow assigning the experimentally observed telecom zero-phonon emission (1448 nm) to the neutral Ci defect.

Certain point defects in crystals can be used as optically addressable quantum bits, much like atoms trapped in vacuum. Ivády et al. show that embedding such artificial atoms in stacking faults can actually improve their optical properties, making them function even more like true atoms.

An unidentified defect in diamond is used to demonstrate optical spin polarization and readout with high contrast.

Diamond nanoparticles containing only about 400 atoms emit bright fluorescence due to silicon vacancy defects.

Defects in silicon carbide have recently been proposed as bright single-photon sources. It is now shown that they can be used as sources of single electron spins having long coherence times at room temperature.

Whipworms are large parasites causing chronic disease in humans and other mammals. Here, the authors show how larvae create tunnels inside the gut lining and reveal the early host response to infection via Isg15 in mice and murine caecaloids.

Nuclear spins in diamond are promising for applications in quantum technologies due to their long coherence times. Here, the authors demonstrate a scalable electrical readout of individual intrinsic ¹⁴N nuclear spins in diamond, mediated by hyperfine coupling to electron spin of the NV center, as a step towards room-temperature nanoscale diamond quantum devices.

Point defects in solids have potential applications in quantum technologies, but the mechanisms underlying different defects’ performance are not fully established. Nagy et al. show how the wavefunction symmetry of silicon vacancies in SiC leads to promising optical and spin coherence properties.

Defects in silicon carbide can act as single photon sources that also have the benefit of a host material that is already used in electronic devices. Here the authors demonstrate that they can control the distinguishability of the emitted photons by changing the defect spin state.

The optically detected magnetic resonance of a single defect in hexagonal boron nitride is reported.

Defect-based spin qubits offer a versatile platform for creating solid-state quantum devices. This Review is a guide for understanding the properties and applications of current spin defects, and provides a framework for designing, engineering and discovering new qubit candidates