Crystallographic Orientation Dependent Reactive Ion Etching in Single Crystal Diamond

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Quantum Technologies

Background:

• Precise shaping of single crystal diamond is essential for advanced devices in nanophotonics, quantum computing, and quantum optics.
• Crystallographic orientation-dependent etching, demonstrated in silicon, offers a pathway for controlled material structuring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel crystal direction-dependent dry etching principle for monocrystalline diamond.
• To demonstrate the fabrication of monolithic diamond nanopillars for nitrogen-vacancy-center-based magnetometry.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etcher to selectively reveal crystal planes in diamond.
• Controlling etching conditions to achieve specific crystallographic orientations and shapes.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a crystallographic orientation-dependent dry etching principle for diamond.
• Fabricated monolithic diamond nanopillars with a record half-tapering angle up to 21°.
• Achieved high photon efficiency and mechanical strength in the fabricated nanopillars.

Conclusions:

• The developed dry etching principle offers a new method for precise nanostructure shaping in single crystal diamond.
• This technique is crucial for advancing applications in quantum technologies and magnetometry.
• The principle holds potential for structuring other single crystal materials.