No Arabic abstract
We discuss the fine structure and spin dynamics of spin-3/2 centers associated with silicon vacancies in silicon carbide. The centers have optically addressable spin states which makes them highly promising for quantum technologies. The fine structure of the spin centers turns out to be highly sensitive to mechanical pressure, external magnetic and electric fields, temperature variation, etc., which can be utilized for efficient room-temperature sensing, particularly by purely optical means or through the optically detected magnetic resonance. We discuss the experimental achievements in magnetometry and thermometry based on the spin state mixing at level anticrossings in an external magnetic field and the underlying microscopic mechanisms. We also discuss spin fluctuations in an ensemble of vacancies caused by interaction with environment.
Colour centres with long-lived spins are established platforms for quantum sensing and quantum information applications. Colour centres exist in different charge states, each of them with distinct optical and spin properties. Application to quantum technology requires the capability to access and stabilize charge states for each specific task. Here, we investigate charge state manipulation of individual silicon vacancies in silicon carbide, a system which has recently shown a unique combination of long spin coherence time and ultrastable spin-selective optical transitions. In particular, we demonstrate charge state switching through the bias applied to the colour centre in an integrated silicon carbide opto-electronic device. We show that the electronic environment defined by the doping profile and the distribution of other defects in the device plays a key role for charge state control. Our experimental results and numerical modeling evidence that control of these complex interactions can, under certain conditions, enhance the photon emission rate. These findings open the way for deterministic control over the charge state of spin-active colour centres for quantum technology and provide novel techniques for monitoring doping profiles and voltage sensing in microscopic devices.
The controlled generation and manipulation of atom-like defects in solids has a wide range of applications in quantum technology. Although various defect centres have displayed promise as either quantum sensors, single photon emitters or light-matter interfaces, the search for an ideal defect with multi-functional ability remains open. In this spirit, we investigate here the optical and spin properties of the V1 defect centre, one of the silicon vacancy defects in the 4H polytype of silicon carbide (SiC). The V1 centre in 4H-SiC features two well-distinguishable sharp optical transitions and a unique S=3/2 electronic spin, which holds promise to implement a robust spin-photon interface. Here, we investigate the V1 defect at low temperatures using optical excitation and magnetic resonance techniques. The measurements, which are performed on ensemble, as well as on single centres, prove that this centre combines coherent optical emission, with up to 40% of the radiation emitted into the zero-phonon line (ZPL), a strong optical spin signal and long spin coherence time. These results single out the V1 defect in SiC as a promising system for spin-based quantum technologies.
Divacancy defects in silicon carbide have long-lived electronic spin states and sharp optical transitions, with properties that are similar to the nitrogen-vacancy defect in diamond. We report experiments on 4H-SiC that investigate all-optical addressing of spin states with the zero-phonon-line transitions. Our magneto-spectroscopy results identify the spin $S=1$ structure of the ground and excited state, and a role for decay via intersystem crossing. We use these results for demonstrating coherent population trapping of spin states with divacancy ensembles that have particular orientations in the SiC crystal.
We demonstrate that the spin of optically addressable point defects can be coherently driven with AC electric fields. Based on magnetic-dipole forbidden spin transitions, this scheme enables spatially confined spin control, the imaging of high-frequency electric fields, and the characterization of defect spin multiplicity. While we control defects in SiC, these methods apply to spin systems in many semiconductors, including the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond. Electrically driven spin resonance offers a viable route towards scalable quantum control of electron spins in a dense array.
Hybrid spin-mechanical systems are a promising platform for future quantum technologies. Usually they require application of additional microwave fields to project integer spin to a readable state. We develop a theory of optically detected spin-mechanical resonance associated with half-integer spin defects in silicon carbide (SiC) membranes. It occurs when a spin resonance frequency matches a resonance frequency of a mechanical mode, resulting in a shortening of the spin relaxation time through resonantly enhanced spin-phonon coupling. The effect can be detected as an abrupt reduction of the photoluminescence intensity under optical pumping without application of microwave fields. We propose all-optical protocols based on such spin-mechanical resonance to detect external magnetic fields and mass with ultra-high sensitivity. We also discuss room-temperature nonlinear effects under strong optical pumping, including spin-mediated cooling and heating of mechanical modes. Our approach suggests a new concept for quantum sensing using spin-optomechanics.