Defect Engineering for Quantum Grade Rare-Earth Nanocrystals.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 32697571.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1021/acsnano.0c02971.
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Abstract
Nanostructured systems that combine optical and spin transitions offer new functionalities for quantum technologies by providing efficient quantum light-matter interfaces. Rare-earth (RE) ion-doped nanoparticles are promising in this field as they show long-lived optical and spin quantum states. However, further development of their use in highly demanding applications, such as scalable single-ion-based quantum processors, requires controlling defects that currently limit coherence lifetimes. In this work, we show that a post-treatment process that includes multistep high-temperature annealing followed by high-power microwave oxygen plasma processing advantageously improves key properties for quantum technologies. We obtain single crystalline Eu<sup>3+</sup>:Y<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nanoparticles (NPs) of 100 nm diameter, presenting bulk-like inhomogeneous line widths (Γ<sub>inh</sub>) and population lifetimes (<i>T</i><sub>1</sub>). Furthermore, a significant coherence lifetime (<i>T</i><sub>2</sub>) extension, up to a factor of 5, is successfully achieved by modifying the oxygen-related point defects in the NPs by the oxygen plasma treatment. These promising results confirm the potential of engineered RE NPs to integrate devices such as cavity-based single-photon sources, quantum memories, and processors. In addition, our strategy could be applied to a large variety of oxides to obtain outstanding crystalline quality NPs for a broad range of applications.