Wafer-Scale Integration of Freestanding Photonic Deviceswith Color Centers in Silicon Carbide

Abstract

Color center platforms have been at the forefront of quantum nanophotonics forapplications in quantum networking, computing, and sensing. However, large-scaledeployment of this technology has been stifled by a lack of ability to integrate photonicdevices at scale while maintaining the properties of quantum emitters. We address thischallenge in silicon carbide which has both commercially available wafer-scale substratesand is a host to color centers with desirable optical and spin properties. Using ionbeam etching at an angle, we develop a 5-inch wafer process for the fabrication oftriangular cross-section photonic devices in bulk 4H-SiC. The developed process has avariability in etch rate and etch angle of 5.4% and 2.9%, respectively. Furthermore, theintegrated color centers maintain their optical properties after the etch, thus achievingthe nanofabrication goal of wafer-scale nanofabrication in quantum-grade silicon carbide.