Scalable focused ion beam creation of nearly lifetime-limited single quantum emitters in diamond nanostructures

Abstract

The controlled creation of defect centre—nanocavity systems is one of the outstanding challenges for efficiently interfacing spin quantum memories with photons for photon-based entanglement operations in a quantum network. Here we demonstrate direct, maskless creation of atom-like single silicon vacancy (SiV) centres in diamond nanostructures via focused ion beam implantation with ∼32 nm lateral precision and <50 nm positioning accuracy relative to a nanocavity. We determine the Si+ ion to SiV centre conversion yield to be ∼2.5% and observe a 10-fold conversion yield increase by additional electron irradiation. Low-temperature spectroscopy reveals inhomogeneously broadened ensemble emission linewidths of ∼51 GHz and close to lifetime-limited single-emitter transition linewidths down to 126±13 MHz corresponding to ∼1.4 times the natural linewidth. This method for the targeted generation of nearly transform-limited quantum emitters should facilitate the development of scalable solid-state quantum information processors.

Optical properties of silicon-vacancy color centers in diamond created by ion implantation and post-annealing

“…Table 1 reports the measured activation yields compared with the implantation fluences. In principle, the increased activation yield observed for decreasing fluence could depend on the decreasing implantation depth, but Schröder et al 30 , in a study performed at low energies (10-100 keV, thus with 20-70 nm Bragg peak depth) in the 10 12 to 10 14 cm -2 fluence range, observed a substiantial independence of the yield on the implantation depth in the first tens of nm, revealing a remarkable increase with decreasing fluences, down to 10 12 cm -2 . Our study corroborates these conclusions extending the implantation depths up to a few microns and confirming a further increase of the yield down to the 10 11 cm -2 fluence range.…”

Fiber-Coupled Diamond Quantum Nanophotonic Interface

“…SiV color centers are embedded at the center of waveguide-coupled diamond PCCs via focused ion beam (FIB) implantation [12,53,54] followed by high temperature annealing [45]. Targeted implantation of Si + ions by FIB enables positioning of emitters within the PCC with ~ 40 nm precision in all three dimensions, and control over the average number of implanted ions.…”

A concept to generate ultrashort ion pulses for pump-probe experiments in the keV energy range

“…All calculations presented in this paper were performed with the potential 1 f of the first electrode E 1 set to +10 kV and the target electrode E 3 kept at 3 f =0 (ground potential). The potential 2 f of the intermediate electrode E 2 was adjusted to deliver optimum flight time focusing for ions starting around the beam center position r 0, 0, 0 0 =  ( ) located in the center of the first gap and the extraction aperture.…”

“…Ions can be used to modify either the surface or the bulk of the irradiated material by changing the electronic properties (e.g. by implanting ions for doping or defect engineering) [1][2][3][4], cleaning, etching or patterning the surface by sputtering (i.e. the removal of surface material) [5][6][7][8], fabrication of thin films (by collecting the sputtered material on a substrate) [9,10], imaging [11], or chemical surface analysis via mass spectrometry of the sputtered material [12][13][14].…”