Laser Writing of Color Centers

• Published in: Laser & photonics reviews 2022-01, Vol.16 (1), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Wang, Xiao‐Jie, Fang, Hong‐Hua, Sun, Fang‐Wen, Sun, Hong‐Bo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon nanotubes; Color centers; Crystal defects; Diamonds; Direct laser writing; Emitters; Ion bombardment; Ion implantation; Lasers; laser‐writing; Layered materials; Optical activity; quantum applications; Quantum computing; Quantum dots; Quantum phenomena; Silicon carbide; solid‐state quantum systems; Substrates
• ISSN: 1863-8880; 1863-8899
• DOI: 10.1002/lpor.202100029

Color centers, optically active defects within solids, are vital for leading quantum information technologies such as quantum computing and quantum sensing. An essential prerequisite for realizing scalable quantum architectures is the ability to create quantum emitters deterministically. In the last decades, significant efforts have been devoted to selectively generating color centers. One of the most used methods is high‐energy ion implantation. However, this method usually causes extended lattice damage along the entire trajectory because of ions bombardment. Moreover, the position depth of color centers is also limited by the ions penetrate length in crystals. The direct laser‐writing (DLW) technique has recently emerged as a powerful tool to create color centers in solid‐state materials. It can define color centers at arbitrary depths inside the substrate and operate at the ambient environment, therefore, providing a feasible 3D fabrication method for integrated quantum photonics. Here, recent advancements of laser writing of color centers in solid‐state materials are reviewed, from bulk crystals, such as diamond and silicon carbide, to nanostructures, involving single‐walled carbon nanotubes, 2D layered materials, and quantum dots. Laser writing has been proven as a powerful approach for preparing color centers in solids. Here, recent advances of laser writing color centers in various promising solid‐state quantum systems are reviewed, from bulk crystals, such as diamond, silicon carbon, to low‐dimensional nanomaterials, such as single‐walled carbon nanotubes, 2D layered materials, and quantum dots.