  A device that is able to produce single photons is a fundamental building
block for a number of quantum technologies. Significant progress has been made
in engineering quantum emission in the solid state, for instance, using
semiconductor quantum dots as well as defect sites in bulk and two-dimensional
materials. Here we report the discovery of a room-temperature quantum emitter
embedded deep within the band gap of aluminum nitride. Using spectral,
polarization, and photon-counting time-resolved measurements we demonstrate
bright ($>10^5$ counts per second), pure ($g^{(2)}(0) < 0.2$), and polarized
room-temperature quantum light emission from color centers in this commercially
important semiconductor.
