Fluorescent nanoparticles with optically robust luminescence are imperative to applications in imaging and labeling. Here we demonstrate that hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) nanoparticles can be reliably produced using a scalable cryogenic exfoliation technique with sizes below 10 nm. The particles exhibit bright fluorescence generated by color centers that act as atomic-size quantum emitters. We analyze their optical properties, including emission wavelength, photon-statistics, and photodynamics, and show that they are suitable for far-field super-resolution fluorescence nanoscopy. Our results provide a foundation for exploration of hBN nanoparticles as candidates for bioimaging, labeling, as well as biomarkers that are suitable for quantum sensing.
Keywords: Hexagonal boron nitride; blinking; nanoparticles; photostability; quantum dots.