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.
Highlights
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
Lateral control has been demonstrated through the use of nanofabricated implantation masks[11,12,13,14,15,16], which have been employed for colour centre creation relative to optical structures through atomic force microscope (AFM) mask alignment[6], and combined implantation/nanostructure masking[7,8]
We show that additional post-implantation electron irradiation and annealing creates an order of magnitude enhancement in Si to silicon vacancy (SiV) conversion yield
Summary
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. Many approaches have been investigated for positioning emitters relative to the mode-maximum of nanophotonic devices with the necessary subwavelength-scale precision, including fabrication of nanostructures around pre-localized or site-controlled semiconductor quantum dots[1,2,3,4,5] or diamond defect centres[6], or implantation of ions for defect centre creation in nanostructures concomitant with the nanofabrication[7,8] These approaches have not allowed high-throughput post-fabrication creation of quantum emitters with nearly indistinguishable emission in nanophotonic structures already fabricated and evaluated; such an approach greatly simplifies the design and fabrication process and improves the yield of coupled emitter–nanostructure systems. The ability to implant quantum emitters with high spatial resolution and yield opens the door to the reliable fabrication of efficient light–matter interfaces based on semiconductor defects coupled to nanophotonic devices
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