Silicon Carbide for Novel Quantum Technology Devices

Abstract

Silicon carbide (SiC) has recently been investigated as an alternative material to host deep optically active defects suitable for optical and spin quantum bits. This material presents a unique opportunity to realise more advanced quantum-based devices and sensors than currently possible. We will summarise key results revealing the role that defects have played in enabling optical and spin quantum measurements in this material such as single photon emission and optical spin control. The great advantage of SiC lies in its existing and well-developed device processing protocols and the possibilities to integrate these defects in a straightforward manner. There is particular current interest in nanomaterials and nanophotonics in SiC that could, once realised, introduce a new platform for quantum nanophotonics and in general for photonics. We will summarise SiC nanostructures exhibiting optical emission due to multiple polytypic bandgap engineering and deep defects. The combination of nanostructures and in-built paramagnetic defects in SiC could pave the way for future single-particle and single-defect quantum devices and related biomedical sensors with single-molecule sensitivity. We will review relevant classical devices in SiC (photonics crystal cavities, microdiscs) integrated with intrinsic defects. Finally, we will provide an outlook on future sensors that could arise from the integration of paramagnetic defects in SiC nanostructures and devices.Keywords: Silicon carbide deep defects, Paramagnetic properties, Optical-detected magnetic resonance, Single-photon sources IntroductionThe most common and technologically advanced SiC polytypes are 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC with hexagonal structures and 3C-SiC with a zinc-blende crystal structure (cubic). High-quality © 2015 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.bulk single-crystal 3C-SiC can be grown epitaxially on different substrates, most notably on silicon. This has led to many exciting devices fabricated with this particular polytype [1]. SiC has a wide bandgap (2.4-3.2 eV depending on the polytype), a high thermal conductivity, the ability to sustain high electric fields before breakdown and the highest maximum current density, making it ideal for high-power electronics [2]. More recently, it has become a notable material in the field of quantum computing and spintronics as several of its intrinsic defects are associated with an electron spin that can be used as quantum bit [3,4]. To enhance solid-state quantum systems scalability, a fully integrated device with quantum control should be built; thus, quantum systems should be part of the material used to fabricate the final device. Other solid-state quantum systems fully integrated into a functional device [5][6][7] operate at cryogenic temperatures (4 K or below),...

Purcell Enhancement of a Single Silicon Carbide Color Center with Coherent Spin Control

“…These commercial uses have led to well-developed wafer-scale fabrication processes and precise control of doping during single-crystal growth. Concurrently, SiC has generated interest for low-loss nanophotonics, nonlinear optical phenomena, and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) [1][2][3] . Recently, SiC has also shown promise as a host for optically addressable spin defects.…”

Silicon carbide color centers for quantum applications

“…The defect labeled DV (0) [81] (figure 4(C)) quantum properties were studied in 4H-SiC and associated to the PL1-PL4 lines in [53,55,[82][83][84][85][86]. It is currently associated with an S=1 V Si V C (0) , with ZPLs corresponding to the 4 non-equivalent sites, as following, PL1 occupying the hh site, PL2 kk site, PL3 kh, and PL4 hk site [41,42].…”

Latest Advances in the Generation of Single Photons in Silicon Carbide

“…While the extension to single photon sources in SiC nanomaterials is certainly also promising, it is not the objective of this paper to provide a more general review of the topic. The more general subject is eventually covered in Reference [10]. Therefore, this paper only focuses on the latest developments achieved after that publication.…”

“…SiC is also more versatile as it is available in high-quality wafers in three polytypes (3C, 4H, and 6H) hosting a wide variety of intrinsic and extrinsic defects whose optical activity features single-spin coherent control with long spin coherence, important for the implementation of quantum technologies [10].…”

“…SiC has several advantages over diamond, among which are: the possibility of fabricating nanostructures and devices such as nanoparticles, quantum dots, nanowires, and nanopillars with well-established protocols, and the possibility of growing SiC on silicon, which allows the easy SiC has several advantages over diamond, among which are: the possibility of fabricating nanostructures and devices such as nanoparticles, quantum dots, nanowires, and nanopillars with well-established protocols, and the possibility of growing SiC on silicon, which allows the easy integration of SiC defects in photonic circuits [10]. SiC is also more versatile as it is available in high-quality wafers in three polytypes (3C, 4H, and 6H) hosting a wide variety of intrinsic and extrinsic defects whose optical activity features single-spin coherent control with long spin coherence, important for the implementation of quantum technologies [10].…”