Tim Schroder, Matthew E. Trusheim, Michael Walsh, Luozhou Li, Jiabao Zheng, Marco Schukraft, Alp Sipahigil, Ruffin E. Evans, Denis D. Sukachev, Christian T. Nguyen, Jose L. Pacheco, Ryan M. Camacho, Edward S. Bielejec, Mikhail D. Lukin & Dirk Englund
doi:10.1038/ncomms15376
Abstract:
The controlled creation of defect centre—nanocavity systems is one of the outstanding challenges for efficiently interfacing spin quantum memories with photons for photon-based entanglement operations in a quantum network. Here we demonstrate direct, maskless creation of atom-like single silicon vacancy (SiV) centres in diamond nanostructures via focused ion beam implantation with ∼32 nm lateral precision and <50 nm positioning accuracy relative to a nanocavity. We determine the Si+ ion to SiV centre conversion yield to be ∼2.5% and observe a 10-fold conversion yield increase by additional electron irradiation. Low-temperature spectroscopy reveals inhomogeneously broadened ensemble emission linewidths of ∼51 GHz and close to lifetime-limited single-emitter transition linewidths down to 126±13 MHz corresponding to ∼1.4 times the natural linewidth. This method for the targeted generation of nearly transform-limited quantum emitters should facilitate the development of scalable solid-state quantum information processors.