Spin-photon interfaces based on group-IV colour centres in diamond offer a promising platform for quantum networks. A key challenge in the field is realizing precise single-defect positioning and activation, which is crucial for scalable device fabrication. Here we address this problem by demonstrating a two-step fabrication method for tin vacancy (SnV-) centres that uses site-controlled ion implantation followed by local femtosecond laser annealing with in-situ spectral monitoring. The ion implantation is performed with sub-50 nm resolution and a dosage that is controlled from hundreds of ions down to single ions per site, limited by Poissonian statistics. Using this approach, we successfully demonstrate site-selective creation and modification of single SnV- centres. The technique opens a window onto materials tuning at the single defect level, and provides new insight into defect structures and dynamics during the annealing process. While demonstrated for SnV- centres, this versatile approach can be readily generalised to other implanted colour centres in diamond and wide-bandgap materials.
@article{arxiv.2409.07421,
title = {Laser Activation of Single Group-IV Colour Centres in Diamond},
author = {Xingrui Cheng and Andreas Thurn and Guangzhao Chen and Gareth S. Jones and Maddison Coke and Mason Adshead and Cathryn P. Michaels and Osman Balci and Andrea C. Ferrari and Mete Atatüre and Richard Curry and Jason M. Smith and Patrick S. Salter and Dorian A. Gangloff},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2409.07421},
year = {2024}
}
Comments
10 pages, 4 figures, methods, and supplementary information