Scalable Quantum Photonics with Single Color Centers in Silicon Carbide.

Area of Science:

• Quantum photonics
• Materials science
• Solid-state physics

Background:

• Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising material for quantum technologies due to its robust properties.
• Individual color centers in SiC, such as silicon vacancy centers, are suitable for single photon sources and qubits.
• Scalable fabrication of SiC-based quantum devices is crucial for practical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a scalable array of silicon carbide nanopillars with integrated single silicon vacancy centers.
• To achieve efficient interfacing of these centers with optical systems for quantum applications.
• To demonstrate the potential of SiC as a platform for scalable quantum photonics.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of 4H-SiC nanopillars using lithography after electron beam irradiation to create vacancies.
• Integration of single silicon vacancy centers within the nanopillar structure.
• Characterization of optical properties, including collection efficiency and spin polarization.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of an array of 800 nm tall nanopillars with diameters ranging from 400-1400 nm.
• Achieved high single photon collection efficiency up to 22 kcounts/s at optical saturation.
• Preserved single photon emission and optically induced electron-spin polarization properties of the silicon vacancy centers.

Conclusions:

• Silicon carbide is a viable and readily available platform for scalable quantum photonics.
• The developed nanopillar array facilitates efficient interfacing for single photon sources and qubits.
• This work paves the way for advanced quantum computing and sensing architectures based on SiC.