  Point defects can have significant impacts on the mechanical, electronic and
optical properties of materials. The development of robust, multidimensional,
high-throughput and large-scale characterization techniques of defects is thus
crucial, from the establishment of integrated nanophotonic technologies to
material growth optimization. Here, we demonstrate the potential of wide-field
spectral single-molecule localization microscopy (spectral SMLM) for the
determination of ensemble spectral properties, as well as characterization of
spatial, spectral and temporal dynamics of single defects in CVD-grown and
irradiated exfoliated hexagonal boron-nitride (hBN) materials. We characterize
the heterogeneous spectral response of our samples, and identify at least two
types of defects in CVD-grown materials, while irradiated exfoliated flakes
show predominantly only one type of defect. We analyze the blinking kinetics
and spectral emission for each type of defects, and discuss their implications
with respect to the observed spectral heterogeneity of our samples. Our study
shows the potential of wide-field spectral SMLM techniques in material science
and paves the way towards quantitative multidimensional mapping of defect
properties.
