Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics

171Yb:YVO for Nanoscale Quantum Interfaces

Jonathan M. Kindem, John G. Bartholomew, Jake Rochman, Tian Zhong, Andrei Faraon, Charles W. Thiel, Philip J. T. Woodburn, R. L. Cone

Published Jan 1, 2018• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report on the optical and spin coherence properties of 171Yb:YVO at cryogenic temperatures. Our results indicate this material is promising for nanoscale quantum memories, microwave-to-optical transduction, and optically addressable single ions.
DOI
10.1364/cleo_qels.2018.ftu4h.5

Related papers

Characterization of Yb 3 + 171 : YVO 4 for photonic quantum technologies

Jonathan M. Kindem, John G. Bartholomew, Philip J. T. Woodburn +5 more

Rare-earth ion crystals are a promising platform for implementing solid-state quantum interfaces, yet there are few combinations of rare-earth and host crystals that simultaneously deliver large optical absorption, narrow inhomogeneous linewidths, and long coherence times. This work investigates the optical and spin properties of ${}^{171}$Yb${}^{3+}$ ions in YVO${}_{4}$. The observed properties and simple energy-level structure of the ${}^{171}$Yb${}^{3+}$ ion show that this material has significant potential for creating efficient quantum interfaces, such as ensemble-based memories, microwave-to-optical transducers, and optically addressable single rare-earth ion spin qubits.

arXiv:1805.01068•Physical review. B./Physical review. B•Jul 5, 2018•59 citations

Quantum Nanophotonics with Ytterbium in Yttrium Orthovanadate

Jonathan M. Kindem

Quantum light-matter interfaces that can reversibly map quantum information between photons and atoms are essential for building future quantum networks. Crystals doped with rare-earth ions (REIs) are an attractive solid-state platform for such light-matter interfaces due to their exceptional optical and spin coherence properties at cryogenic temperatures. Building scalable REI-based technology has proven to be challenging due to the inherently weak coupling of REIs with light. This thesis explores the integration of REIs with nanophotonic resonators to overcome this weak light-matter interaction and enable efficient, scalable quantum light-matter interfaces. Specifically, this work focuses on the development of quantum nanophotonics with ytterbium in yttrium orthovanadate. This thesis begins with an introduction to a nanophotonic platform based on photonic crystal cavities fabricated directly in rare-earth host materials and highlights the initial successes of this platform with neodymium-doped materials. This motivates an examination of the optical and spin coherence properties of 171Yb:YVO4, a REI material that was previously unexplored for quantum technology applications. This material is found to have strong optical transitions compared to other REI-doped materials, a simple energy level structure, and long optical and spin coherence lifetimes. The focus then turns to the detection and coherent manipulation of single ytterbium ions coupled to nanophotonic cavities. The Purcell-enhancement in these cavities enables efficient optical detection and spin initialization of individual ytterbium ions. We identify ions corresponding to different isotopes of ytterbium and show that the coupling of electron and nuclear spin in ytterbium-171 at zero-field gives rise to strong electron-spin-like transitions that are first-order insensitive to magnetic field fluctuations. This allows for coherent microwave control and the observation of long spin coherence lifetimes at temperatures up to 1 K. We then make use of the optical selection rules and energy structure of 171Yb:YVO4 to demonstrate high-fidelity single-shot optical readout of the spin state. These results establish nanophotonic devices in 171Yb:YVO4 as a promising platform for solid-state quantum light-matter interfaces.

•Mar 15, 2019•0 citations

Near-infrared hybrid quantum photonic interface for 171Yb3+ solid-state qubits

Chun-Ju Wu, Daniel Riedel, Andrei Ruskuc +3 more

${}^{171}$Yb${}^{3+}$ ions in yttrium orthovanadate are promising candidates for building quantum networks, based on their excellent optical and spin properties and access to a secondary nuclear-spin quantum register. In this study the authors transfer GaAs photonic crystal nanobeam resonators to the surface of the host YVO${}_{4}$ to enhance the optical transitions of the Yb${}^{3+}$ ions and efficiently collect the emitted photons. This hybrid quantum photonic interface facilitates addressing of single Yb${}^{3+}$ ions and paves the way for the implementation of a scalable photonic architecture in the near infrared.

Physical Review Applied•Oct 6, 2023•13 citations

A hybrid quantum photonic interface for $^{171}$Yb solid-state qubits

Chun-Ju Wu, Daniel Riedel, Andrei Ruskuc +3 more

$^{171}$Yb$^{3+}$ in YVO$_4$ is a promising candidate for building quantum networks with good optical addressability, excellent spin properties and a secondary nuclear-spin quantum register. However, the associated long optical lifetime necessitates coupling to optical resonators for faster emission of single photons and to facilitate control of single $^{171}$Yb ions. Previously, single $^{171}$Yb ions were addressed by coupling them to monolithic photonic crystal cavities fabricated via lengthy focused ion beam milling. Here, we design and fabricate a hybrid platform based on ions coupled to the evanescently decaying field of a GaAs photonic crystal cavity. We experimentally detect and demonstrate coherent optical control of single $^{171}$Yb ions. For the most strongly coupled ions, we find a 64 fold reduction in lifetime. The results show a promising route towards a quantum network with $^{171}$Yb:YVO$_4$ using a highly scalable platform.

arXiv:2212.01994•Dec 5, 2022•0 citations

Quantum nanophotonic devices based on rare-earth ions (Conference Presentation)

Andrei Faraon

In this talk I give an overview of our recent work on quantum nano-photonic devices based on rare-earth ions. The rare-earth ions exhibit excellent optical and spin coherence properties when embedded in nano-photonic devices. This enables on-chip optical quantum memories, single rare-earth-ion optically addressable quantum bits, and devices for quantum transduction. I will focus on our recent results based on ytterbium 171 in yttrium orthovanadate.

Photonic and Phononic Properties of Engineered Nanostructures•Mar 8, 2019•0 citations

Sub-second spin and lifetime-limited optical coherences in 171Yb3+:CaWO4

Alexey Tiranov, Emanuel Green, Sophie Hermans +8 more

Optically addressable solid-state spins have been extensively studied for quantum technologies, offering unique advantages for quantum computing, communication, and sensing. Advancing these applications is generally limited by finding materials that simultaneously provide lifetime-limited optical and long spin coherences. Here, we introduce 171Yb3+ ions doped into a CaWO4 crystal. We perform high-resolution spectroscopy of the excited state, and demonstrate all-optical coherent control of the electron-nuclear spin ensemble. We find narrow inhomogeneous broadening of the optical transitions of 185 MHz and radiative-lifetime-limited coherence time up to 0.75 ms. Next to this, we measure a spin-transition ensemble line width of 5 kHz and electron-nuclear spin coherence time reaching 0.15 seconds at zero magnetic field between 50 mK and 1 K temperatures. These results demonstrate the potential of 171Yb3+:CaWO4 as a low-noise platform for building quantum technologies with ensemble-based memories, microwave-to-optical transducers, and optically addressable single-ion spin qubits. The authors identify 171Yb3+:CaWO4 as a promising material for quantum technological applications, revealing lifetime-limited optical coherence of 0.75 ms and spin coherence of 0.15 s, highlighting its potential for quantum memories and transducers.

Nature Communications•Mar 18, 2026•5 citations
Rare-earth ion crystals are a promising platform for implementing solid-state quantum interfaces, yet there are few combinations of rare-earth and host crystals that simultaneously deliver large optical absorption, narrow inhomogeneous linewidths, and long coherence times. This work investigates the optical and spin properties of 171{}^{171}171Yb3+{}^{3+}3+ ions in YVO4{}_{4}4​. The observed properties and simple energy-level structure of the 171{}^{171}171Yb3+{}^{3+}3+ ion show that this material has significant potential for creating efficient quantum interfaces, such as ensemble-based memories, microwave-to-optical transducers, and optically addressable single rare-earth ion spin qubits.
Quantum light-matter interfaces that can reversibly map quantum information between photons and atoms are essential for building future quantum networks. Crystals doped with rare-earth ions (REIs) are an attractive solid-state platform for such light-matter interfaces due to their exceptional optical and spin coherence properties at cryogenic temperatures. Building scalable REI-based technology has proven to be challenging due to the inherently weak coupling of REIs with light. This thesis explores the integration of REIs with nanophotonic resonators to overcome this weak light-matter interaction and enable efficient, scalable quantum light-matter interfaces. Specifically, this work focuses on the development of quantum nanophotonics with ytterbium in yttrium orthovanadate. This thesis begins with an introduction to a nanophotonic platform based on photonic crystal cavities fabricated directly in rare-earth host materials and highlights the initial successes of this platform with neodymium-doped materials. This motivates an examination of the optical and spin coherence properties of 171Yb:YVO4, a REI material that was previously unexplored for quantum technology applications. This material is found to have strong optical transitions compared to other REI-doped materials, a simple energy level structure, and long optical and spin coherence lifetimes. The focus then turns to the detection and coherent manipulation of single ytterbium ions coupled to nanophotonic cavities. The Purcell-enhancement in these cavities enables efficient optical detection and spin initialization of individual ytterbium ions. We identify ions corresponding to different isotopes of ytterbium and show that the coupling of electron and nuclear spin in ytterbium-171 at zero-field gives rise to strong electron-spin-like transitions that are first-order insensitive to magnetic field fluctuations. This allows for coherent microwave control and the observation of long spin coherence lifetimes at temperatures up to 1 K. We then make use of the optical selection rules and energy structure of 171Yb:YVO4 to demonstrate high-fidelity single-shot optical readout of the spin state. These results establish nanophotonic devices in 171Yb:YVO4 as a promising platform for solid-state quantum light-matter interfaces.
171{}^{171}171Yb3+{}^{3+}3+ ions in yttrium orthovanadate are promising candidates for building quantum networks, based on their excellent optical and spin properties and access to a secondary nuclear-spin quantum register. In this study the authors transfer GaAs photonic crystal nanobeam resonators to the surface of the host YVO4{}_{4}4​ to enhance the optical transitions of the Yb3+{}^{3+}3+ ions and efficiently collect the emitted photons. This hybrid quantum photonic interface facilitates addressing of single Yb3+{}^{3+}3+ ions and paves the way for the implementation of a scalable photonic architecture in the near infrared.
A hybrid quantum photonic interface for 171^{171}171Yb solid-state qubits
171^{171}171Yb3+^{3+}3+ in YVO4_44​ is a promising candidate for building quantum networks with good optical addressability, excellent spin properties and a secondary nuclear-spin quantum register. However, the associated long optical lifetime necessitates coupling to optical resonators for faster emission of single photons and to facilitate control of single 171^{171}171Yb ions. Previously, single 171^{171}171Yb ions were addressed by coupling them to monolithic photonic crystal cavities fabricated via lengthy focused ion beam milling. Here, we design and fabricate a hybrid platform based on ions coupled to the evanescently decaying field of a GaAs photonic crystal cavity. We experimentally detect and demonstrate coherent optical control of single 171^{171}171Yb ions. For the most strongly coupled ions, we find a 64 fold reduction in lifetime. The results show a promising route towards a quantum network with 171^{171}171Yb:YVO4_44​ using a highly scalable platform.
Optically addressable solid-state spins have been extensively studied for quantum technologies, offering unique advantages for quantum computing, communication, and sensing. Advancing these applications is generally limited by finding materials that simultaneously provide lifetime-limited optical and long spin coherences. Here, we introduce 171Yb3+ ions doped into a CaWO4 crystal. We perform high-resolution spectroscopy of the excited state, and demonstrate all-optical coherent control of the electron-nuclear spin ensemble. We find narrow inhomogeneous broadening of the optical transitions of 185 MHz and radiative-lifetime-limited coherence time up to 0.75 ms. Next to this, we measure a spin-transition ensemble line width of 5 kHz and electron-nuclear spin coherence time reaching 0.15 seconds at zero magnetic field between 50 mK and 1 K temperatures. These results demonstrate the potential of 171Yb3+:CaWO4 as a low-noise platform for building quantum technologies with ensemble-based memories, microwave-to-optical transducers, and optically addressable single-ion spin qubits. The authors identify 171Yb3+:CaWO4 as a promising material for quantum technological applications, revealing lifetime-limited optical coherence of 0.75 ms and spin coherence of 0.15 s, highlighting its potential for quantum memories and transducers.