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Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Micro/Nano-scale Strain Distribution Measurement from Sampling Moiré Fringes
Published on: May 23, 2017
Spectral tuning and nanoscale localization of single color centers in silicon via controllable strain
Alessandro Buzzi1, Camille Papon2, Matteo Pirro3,4
1Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA. abuzzi@mit.edu.
Abstract:
The development of color centers in silicon enables scalable quantum technologies by combining telecom-wavelength emission and compatibility with mature silicon fabrication. However, large-scale integration requires precise control of each emitter's optical transition to generate indistinguishable photons for quantum networking. Here, we demonstrate a foundry-fabricated photonic integrated circuit (PIC) combining suspended silicon waveguides with a microelectromechanical (MEMS) cantilever to apply local strain and spectrally tune individual G-centers. Applying up to 35 V between the cantilever and the substrate induces a reversible wavelength shift of the zero-phonon line exceeding 100 pm, with no loss in brightness. Moreover, by modeling the strain-induced shifts with a digital twin physical model, we achieve vertical localization of color centers with sub-3 nm vertical resolution, directly correlating their spatial position, dipole orientation, and spectral behavior. This method enables on-demand, low-power control of emission spectrum and nanoscale localization of color centers, advancing quantum networks on a foundry-compatible platform.

