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arXiv:1909.09435 · New Journal of Physics

Spectroscopic investigations of negatively charged tin-vacancy centres in diamond

Johannes Görlitz, Dennis Herrmann, Gergő Thiering, Philipp Fuchs, Morgane Gandil, Takayuki Iwasaki, Takashi Taniguchi, Michael Kieschnick, Jan Meijer, Mutsuko Hatano, Ádám Gali, Christoph Becher

Published Dec 30, 2019• 130 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Abstract The recently discovered negatively charged tin-vacancy centre in diamond is a promising candidate for applications in quantum information processing (QIP). We here present a detailed spectroscopic study encompassing single photon emission and polarisation properties, the temperature dependence of emission spectra as well as a detailed analysis of the phonon sideband and Debye–Waller factor. Using photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy we probe an energetically higher lying excited state and prove fully lifetime limited linewidths of single emitters at cryogenic temperatures. For these emitters we also investigate the stability of the charge state under resonant excitation. These results provide a detailed insight into the spectroscopic properties of the SnV− centre and lay the foundation for further studies regarding its suitability in QIP.

DOI
10.1088/1367-2630/ab6631

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Abstract The recently discovered negatively charged tin-vacancy centre in diamond is a promising candidate for applications in quantum information processing (QIP). We here present a detailed spectroscopic study encompassing single photon emission and polarisation properties, the temperature dependence of emission spectra as well as a detailed analysis of the phonon sideband and Debye–Waller factor. Using photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy we probe an energetically higher lying excited state and prove fully lifetime limited linewidths of single emitters at cryogenic temperatures. For these emitters we also investigate the stability of the charge state under resonant excitation. These results provide a detailed insight into the spectroscopic properties of the SnV− centre and lay the foundation for further studies regarding its suitability in QIP.
Abstract Quantum information processing (QIP) with solid state spin qubits strongly depends on the efficient initialisation of the qubit’s desired charge state. While the negatively charged tin-vacancy (SnV − ) centre in diamond has emerged as an excellent platform for realising QIP protocols due to long spin coherence times at liquid helium temperature and lifetime limited optical transitions, its usefulness is severely limited by termination of the fluorescence under resonant excitation. Here, we unveil the underlying charge cycle, potentially applicable to all group IV-vacancy (G4V) centres, and exploit it to demonstrate highly efficient and rapid initialisation of the desired negative charge state of single SnV centres while preserving long term stable optical resonances. In addition to investigating the optical coherence, we all-optically probe the coherence of the ground state spins by means of coherent population trapping and find a spin dephasing time of 5(1) μ s. Furthermore, we demonstrate proof-of-principle single shot spin state readout without the necessity of a magnetic field aligned to the symmetry axis of the defect.
High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Solid-state quantum emitters are important platforms for quantum information processing. The fabrication of the emitters with stable photon frequency and narrow line width is a fundamental issue, and it is essential to understand optical conditions under which the emitter keeps a bright charge state or transitions to a dark state. For these purposes, in this study, we investigate the spectral stability and charge state transition of tin-vacancy (SnV) centers in diamond. The photoluminescence excitation spectra of multiple SnV centers are basically stable over time with nearly transform-limited line widths under resonant excitation, while simultaneous irradiation of resonant and nonresonant lasers makes spectra from the SnV centers unstable. We find that the instability occurs due to the charge state transition to a dark state. The charge state transition rates are quantitatively investigated depending on the laser powers. Lastly, with first-principles calculations, we model the charge state transition of the SnV center under laser irradiation.
Quantum emitters in diamond are a promising candidate for quantum network applications. Here, we show basic properties of tin-vacancy (SnV) centers in diamond, which we recently discovered. The SnV center shows a sharp zero phonon line and a high fluorescence intensity. The SnV center has a possibility to have a long spin coherence time in the Kelvin temperature range, in contrast to other group-IV color centers, i.e. silicon-vacancy and germanium-vacancy centers. We discuss important experiments regarding spin and optical properties of the SnV quantum emitter for further development towards quantum network.
The properties of the negatively charged silicon-vacancy (SiV) centre in diamond were investigated in this thesis. Polarisation measurements revealed transition dipoles and the symmetry groups of the centre. In a diamond grown by chemical vapour deposition, a high spectral overlap of SiV centres with nearly transform limited optical line widths was found pointing to a low sensitivity of SiV centres to both strain and local electric fields. This low inhomogeneous distribution allowed for a quantum interference leading to a contrast of over 70 % in a Hong-Ou-Mandel experiment. Additionally, an isotopic shift at single site level could be confirmed and than used to identify the 64meV peak in the phonon sideband as a local vibrational mode. A low temperature investigation of optical line width and orbital relaxation time indicated a direct single-phonon process between the orbital states while at higher temperatures a two-phonon dephasing was found to be the main electron-phonon process. The results were consistently described by the microscopic model developed and additional strength was added by consistent studies of spin-orbit splitting and optical lifetime. By applying a magnetic field the spin degeneracy in the ground state was lifted allowing for spin initialisation with over 95 % fidelity with a spin relaxation time of over 2 milliseconds. Two resonant lasers were used to demonstrate coherent population trapping leading to a coherence time in the order of the orbital relaxation time. The coherence was concluded to be limited by orbital dephasing processes and we propose techniques to overcome them. One of them is to use nanodiamonds with a size smaller than half the phonon wavelength to suppress the dephasing process. Investigating the spectral properties at cryogenic temperatures, nearly lifetime limited line widths have been found, making these nanodiamonds good candidates for further spin applications with SiV centres.
Nanodiamonds containing single tin-vacancy (SnV) centers have the potential for integration into nanophotonic devices employed in quantum technologies such as quantum sensing, quantum information processing and quantum communication. The present study assessed single SnV centers in nanodiamonds less than 10 nm in size. Such centers were generated by implanting Sn ions into size-selected small nanodiamonds followed by high-temperature annealing. A sharp emission peak with a line width of 2.6 nm was observed at 618.7 nm, corresponding to the zero phonon line of SnV centers in bulk diamond. The Debye–Waller factor for this peak at room temperature was estimated to be 0.38 and so was slightly greater than the value for bulk diamond. A second-order correlation function yielded a g 2 (0) value of 0.04 ± 0.11, indicating single-photon emission. The successful creation of single SnV centers in nanodiamonds is a critical step toward integrating nanophotonic devices for photonic quantum technologies.
Integrating solid-state quantum emitters with photonic circuits is essential for realizing large-scale quantum photonic processors. Negatively charged tin-vacancy (SnV – ) centers in diamond have emerged as promising candidates for quantum emitters because of their excellent optical and spin properties, including narrow-linewidth emission and long spin coherence times. SnV – centers need to be incorporated in optical waveguides for efficient on-chip routing of the photons they generate. However, such integration has yet to be realized. In this Letter, we demonstrate the coupling of SnV – centers to a nanophotonic waveguide. We realize this device by leveraging our recently developed shallow ion implantation and growth method for the generation of high-quality SnV – centers and the advanced quasi-isotropic diamond fabrication technique. We confirm the compatibility and robustness of these techniques through successful coupling of narrow-linewidth SnV – centers (as narrow as 36 ± 2 MHz) to the diamond waveguide. Furthermore, we investigate the stability of waveguide-coupled SnV – centers under resonant excitation. Our results are an important step toward SnV – -based on-chip spin-photon interfaces, single-photon nonlinearity, and photon-mediated spin interactions.