Towards second-long electron spin coherence of a telecom quantum emitter in naturally abundant CeO$_2$

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that Er$^{3+}$ doped CeO$_2$ can achieve electron spin coherence times approaching seconds at low temperatures, making it promising for quantum memory and network applications.

Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of coherence properties in Er$^{3+}$ doped CeO$_2$, highlighting regimes for optimized decoherence suppression and practical coherence times.

Findings

Hahn-echo coherence times approach the second timescale at dilute doping and sub-Kelvin temperatures.

Coherence times of around 10 ms are achievable at liquid helium temperature for similar concentrations.

Multi-$ ext{pi}$-pulse dynamical decoupling further enhances coherence times.

Abstract

Rare-earth-ion-doped crystals has emerged as a promising platform for quantum technologies, owing to their narrow telecom-band optical emission, long spin memory, and compatibility with silicon integrated photonic architectures. However, the realization of scalable quantum devices requires host materials with intrinsically dilute spin environments to suppress decoherence. In this context, erbium (Er$^{3+}$) doped cerium oxide (CeO$_2$) is an attractive candidate due to the ultra-low concentration of nuclear spins in the host matrix and its compatibility with silicon-based technologies. Here we perform a comprehensive investigation of the coherence properties of Er$^{3+}$ electron spin qubit in CeO$_2$ via semiclassical as well as detailed cluster correlation expansion simulations. By systematically exploring magnetic field strength, pulse sequences, erbium concentration, and spin temperature, we identify regimes where decoherence from the spin bath is strongly suppressed. Our investigations illustrate that at dilute doping concentration (of the order of 10 ppb) and sub-Kelvin temperatures, operation near clock transitions enables Hahn-echo coherence times to approach the second timescale even at natural isotopic abundance. Importantly, from a practical standpoint, coherence times on the order of $\sim 10$ ms are expected even at liquid helium temperature (about 2 K) for similar concentrations. Moreover, we demonstrate that an additional enhancement can be obtained with conventional multi-$\pi$-pulse dynamical decoupling protocols. Thus, our findings establish Er$^{3+}$ doped CeO$_2$ as a front-runner for realizing spin qubits, quantum memories, and integrated quantum networks.