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

• Published in: Nature communications 2024-11, Vol.15 (1), p.10146-9, Article 10146
• Main Authors: He, Zhen-Xuan, Zhou, Ji-Yang, Li, Qiang, Lin, Wu-Xi, Liang, Rui-Jian, Wang, Jun-Feng, Wen, Xiao-Lei, Hao, Zhi-He, Liu, Wei, Ren, Shuo, Li, Hao, You, Li-Xing, Zhang, Rui-Jun, Zhang, Feng, Tang, Jian-Shun, Xu, Jin-Shi, Li, Chuan-Feng, Guo, Guang-Can
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/624/400/3925; 639/766/400/482; Color; Color centers; Data processing; Divacancies; Excitation spectra; Helium; Helium ions; Humanities and Social Sciences; Information processing; Interface stability; Ion beams; Ion implantation; Ionization; Line spectra; Luminescence; multidisciplinary; Optical properties; Photoionization; Photoluminescence; Photon beams; Photons; Polytypes; Quantum phenomena; Robustness; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Silicon carbide
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53662-y

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. Divacancy color centers in SiC are promising candidates for a spin-photon interface, but typically show charge-state instability under optical excitation. Here the authors show that modified divacancies created by a focused helium ion beam are robust against photoionization and have promising properties.