Robust single modified divacancy color centers in 4H-SiC under resonant excitation

Zhen-Xuan He; Ji-Yang Zhou; Qiang Li; Wu-Xi Lin; Rui-Jian Liang; Jun-Feng Wang; Xiao-Lei Wen; Zhi-He Hao; Wei Liu; Shuo Ren; Hao Li; Li-Xing You; Rui-Jun Zhang; Feng Zhang; Jian-Shun Tang; Jin-Shi Xu; Chuan-Feng Li; Guang-Can Guo

doi:10.1038/s41467-024-53662-y

Robust single modified divacancy color centers in 4H-SiC under resonant excitation

Nat Commun. 2024 Nov 22;15(1):10146. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-53662-y.

Authors

Zhen-Xuan He^#^{1

2

3

4}, Ji-Yang Zhou^#^{1

2

3}, Qiang Li^{5

6}, Wu-Xi Lin^{1

2

3

4}, Rui-Jian Liang^{1

2

3}, Jun-Feng Wang⁷, Xiao-Lei Wen⁸, Zhi-He Hao^{1

2

3}, Wei Liu^{1

2

3}, Shuo Ren^{1

2

3}, Hao Li⁹, Li-Xing You⁹, Rui-Jun Zhang¹⁰, Feng Zhang¹⁰, Jian-Shun Tang^{1

2

3

4}, Jin-Shi Xu^{11

12

13

14}, Chuan-Feng Li^{15

16

17

18}, Guang-Can Guo^{1

2

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
² Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Quantum Network, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
³ CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
⁴ Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
⁵ Institute of Advanced Semiconductors and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Power Semiconductor Materials and Devices, ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
⁶ State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and Advanced Semiconductors and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
⁷ College of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
⁸ Center for Micro and Nanoscale Research and Fabrication, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
⁹ State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
¹⁰ Department of Physics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
¹¹ CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China. jsxu@ustc.edu.cn.
¹² Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Quantum Network, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China. jsxu@ustc.edu.cn.
¹³ CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China. jsxu@ustc.edu.cn.
¹⁴ Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China. jsxu@ustc.edu.cn.
¹⁵ CAS Key Laboratory of Quantum Information, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China. cfli@ustc.edu.cn.
¹⁶ Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Quantum Network, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China. cfli@ustc.edu.cn.
¹⁷ CAS Center For Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China. cfli@ustc.edu.cn.
¹⁸ Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China. cfli@ustc.edu.cn.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 39578422
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53662-y

Abstract

Color centers in silicon carbide (SiC) offer exciting possibilities for quantum information processing. However, the challenge of ionization during optical manipulation leads to charge variations, hampering the efficacy of spin-photon interfaces. Recent research predicted that modified divacancy color centers can stabilize their charge states, resisting photoionization. This study presents a method for precisely creating single divacancy arrays in 4H-SiC using a focused helium ion beam. Photoluminescence tests reveal consistent emission with minimal linewidth fluctuations (∼50 MHz over 3 h). By measuring the ionization rate for different polytypes of divacancies, we found that the modified divacancies are more robust against resonant excitation. Furthermore, angle-resolved photoluminescence excitation spectra unveil two resonant-transition lines with orthogonal polarizations. Enhanced optical and spin characteristics were notably observed in these color centers compared to those generated through carbon-ion and shallow implantation methods, positioning modified divacancies as promising contenders for advancing quantum networking.

Grants and funding

No. 92365205, No. U19A2075, No. 11774335, and No. 11821404/National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)