Broad diversity of near-infrared single-photon emitters in silicon

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of seven families of optically-active point defects in silicon that emit single photons in the telecom range, with potential applications in silicon-based quantum technologies.

Contribution

It introduces a broad diversity of near-infrared single-photon emitters in silicon created by carbon implantation, expanding the toolkit for silicon quantum photonics.

Findings

Single-photon emission demonstrated in the 1.1-1.55 μm range.

Seven different defect families identified with distinct optical properties.

Stable emission intensity observed from 10K to above 77K.

Abstract

We report the detection of individual emitters in silicon belonging to seven different families of optically-active point defects. These fluorescent centers are created by carbon implantation of a commercial silicon-on-insulator wafer usually employed for integrated photonics. Single photon emission is demonstrated over the [1.1,1.55]-$\mu$m range, spanning the O- and C-telecom bands. We analyse their photoluminescence spectrum, dipolar emission and optical relaxation dynamics at 10K. For a specific family, we show a constant emission intensity at saturation from 10K to temperatures well above the 77K-liquid nitrogen temperature. Given the advanced control over nanofabrication and integration in silicon, these novel artificial atoms are promising candidates for Si-based quantum technologies.