Laser writing of coherent colour centres in diamond

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a laser writing technique for precisely creating and positioning single nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond, enabling advancements in quantum information processing and defect engineering.

Contribution

The study introduces a laser writing method with aberration correction for controlled placement of NV centres in diamond, achieving high success rates and coherent optical properties.

Findings

Achieved 45% success rate in creating single NV centres near target locations.

Demonstrated stable, coherent optical transitions at cryogenic temperatures.

Enabled precise defect engineering for quantum technology applications.

Abstract

Optically active point defects in crystals have gained widespread attention as photonic systems that can find use in quantum information technologies. However challenges remain in the placing of individual defects at desired locations, an essential element of device fabrication. Here we report the controlled generation of single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres in diamond using laser writing. The use of aberration correction in the writing optics allows precise positioning of vacancies within the diamond crystal, and subsequent annealing produces single NV centres with up to 45% success probability, within about 200 nm of the desired position. Selected NV centres fabricated by this method display stable, coherent optical transitions at cryogenic temperatures, a pre-requisite for the creation of distributed quantum networks of solid-state qubits. The results illustrate the potential of laser writing as a new tool for defect engineering in quantum technologies.