A Suspended 4H-Silicon Carbide Membrane Platform for Defect Integration into Quantum Devices

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new fabrication method for suspended 4H-silicon carbide membranes, enabling better defect integration and device scalability for quantum technology applications.

Contribution

It presents a novel process for creating suspended 4H-SiC thin films that supports complex device fabrication and material integration for quantum devices.

Findings

Successful fabrication of 1D photonic crystal cavities

Demonstration of device compatibility with high-temperature annealing

Integration of lithium niobate on 4H-SiC acoustic cavities

Abstract

4H-silicon carbide is a promising platform for solid-state quantum technology due to its commercial availability as a wide bandgap semiconductor and ability to host numerous spin-active color centers. Integrating color centers into suspended nanodevices enhances defect control and readout--key advances needed to fully harness their potential. However, challenges in developing robust fabrication processes for 4H-SiC thin films--due to the material's chemical and mechanical stability--limit their implementation in quantum applications. Here, we report on a new fabrication approach that first synthesizes suspended thin films from a monolithic platform, then patterns devices. With this technique, we fabricate and characterize structures tailored for defect integration, demonstrating 1D photonic crystal cavities, with and without waveguide interfaces, and lithium niobate on 4H-SiC acoustic cavities. This approach allows for greater fabrication flexibility--supporting high temperature annealing and heterogeneous material platform compatibility--providing a versatile platform for scalable fabrication of 4H-SiC devices for quantum technologies.