Periodic Reporting for period 1 - LasIonDef (Training on Laser Fabrication and Ion Implantation of Defects as Quantum Emitters)
Reporting period: 2020-10-01 to 2022-09-30
Quantum photonic technologies such as quantum computing and sensing promise major impact across sectors in Europe, and rely on the ability to generate, manipulate and detect photons from quantum emitters. LasIonDef proposes a unique multidisciplinary approach combining state of the art fabrication methods of ion implantation and laser writing to develop high performance and novel quantum emitters across three promising wide bandgap quantum platforms: diamond, GaN and hBN.
The main objectives of LasIonDef:
• Development of novel micro and nanofabrication methods to realise high performance quantum emitters, photonics, electronics and microfluidics in promising quantum material platforms.
• Training of 13 ESRs in a highly interdisciplinary environment, with an outlook to the industrial commercialization of the quantum technologies.
• In addition to science, train ESRs in management, organisational, communication, and entrepreneurial skills. The wide-ranging training proposed within LasIonDef will enable ESRs to embark on successful careers in quantum technologies in either academic or industry settings.
• Create and maintain strong collaborations via research and training between researchers, industry, non-profit organizations, even after the conclusion of the LasIonDef project through spin-off projects, PhD and postdoc exchanges and participation to international networks and conferences.
• Educate the general public on quantum optics, emphasising how the quantum technologies developed within LasIonDef will have an impact on society. This crucial objective will be accomplished by a variety of locally and digitally targeted outreach activities led by the 13 ESRs and by their contribution to an educational demonstration kit developed together with EYEST.
• Develop prototype devices for quantum sensing and communication based on the quantum emitter and interfacing components realised in LasIonDef.
The main objectives of LasIonDef:
• Development of novel micro and nanofabrication methods to realise high performance quantum emitters, photonics, electronics and microfluidics in promising quantum material platforms.
• Training of 13 ESRs in a highly interdisciplinary environment, with an outlook to the industrial commercialization of the quantum technologies.
• In addition to science, train ESRs in management, organisational, communication, and entrepreneurial skills. The wide-ranging training proposed within LasIonDef will enable ESRs to embark on successful careers in quantum technologies in either academic or industry settings.
• Create and maintain strong collaborations via research and training between researchers, industry, non-profit organizations, even after the conclusion of the LasIonDef project through spin-off projects, PhD and postdoc exchanges and participation to international networks and conferences.
• Educate the general public on quantum optics, emphasising how the quantum technologies developed within LasIonDef will have an impact on society. This crucial objective will be accomplished by a variety of locally and digitally targeted outreach activities led by the 13 ESRs and by their contribution to an educational demonstration kit developed together with EYEST.
• Develop prototype devices for quantum sensing and communication based on the quantum emitter and interfacing components realised in LasIonDef.
RO1: Development and study of different material platforms for quantum photonics
CU have performed experiments on colour centres in Aluminium Nitride, Gallium Nitride, Boron Nitride and Diamond in the last period, with ESRs in CU making progress on understanding the dynamic of colour centers in these materials using autocorrelation spectroscopy and time-gated photoluminescence techniques. CU have hosted 2 secondments from WUST and UNITO, and arranged two outward secondments (to IFN and UNITO) which have been scientifically productive which will support future publications from the collaboration.
RO2: Customised burst mode femtosecond laser for quantum emitter fabrication
A new burst mode of laser fabrication is being exploited to study a thermal modification regime in diamond to enable the laser writing of high quality optical waveguides and electrical conductors in the bulk of diamond.
RO3: Experimental and theoretical study of quantum emitters
At UNITO, ESR Elena Hernández has developed several studies on the formation and optimization of color centers in diamond, such as GeV under HPHT and MgV under hot implantation. Additionally, in collaboration with ESR Huseyin Bilge Yagci, a study on native centers in iii-nitrides was carried out by means of ion implantation and confocal microscopy characterization.
WUST has developed a theoretical model of NV centers under external strain that allows one to determine all the components of the local strain tensor. In collaboration with UNITO and UC the model has been used to characterize the strain distribution around laser-written waveguides in diamond.
RO4: Integrated quantum sensors
IFN has demonstrated the fabrication of photonic circuits in high NV density CVD diamond with characterization by CU showing preserved NV center spin coherence time and ODMR. The photonic circuits will next be characterized by CU for their electric and magnetic field sensitivity, and are expected to lead to record high performance.
RO5: Spin-photon quantum interface for quantum communication node
IFN and UULM have developed a new hybrid fabrication method to precisely position silicon vacancy based quantum bits within laser-formed photonic circuits in diamond. With this new technique, we have demonstrated an integrated diamond chip that can engineer light at the single photon level. The next step is to fabricate three dimensional photonic circuits to enable efficient quantum photonic networks.
CU have performed experiments on colour centres in Aluminium Nitride, Gallium Nitride, Boron Nitride and Diamond in the last period, with ESRs in CU making progress on understanding the dynamic of colour centers in these materials using autocorrelation spectroscopy and time-gated photoluminescence techniques. CU have hosted 2 secondments from WUST and UNITO, and arranged two outward secondments (to IFN and UNITO) which have been scientifically productive which will support future publications from the collaboration.
RO2: Customised burst mode femtosecond laser for quantum emitter fabrication
A new burst mode of laser fabrication is being exploited to study a thermal modification regime in diamond to enable the laser writing of high quality optical waveguides and electrical conductors in the bulk of diamond.
RO3: Experimental and theoretical study of quantum emitters
At UNITO, ESR Elena Hernández has developed several studies on the formation and optimization of color centers in diamond, such as GeV under HPHT and MgV under hot implantation. Additionally, in collaboration with ESR Huseyin Bilge Yagci, a study on native centers in iii-nitrides was carried out by means of ion implantation and confocal microscopy characterization.
WUST has developed a theoretical model of NV centers under external strain that allows one to determine all the components of the local strain tensor. In collaboration with UNITO and UC the model has been used to characterize the strain distribution around laser-written waveguides in diamond.
RO4: Integrated quantum sensors
IFN has demonstrated the fabrication of photonic circuits in high NV density CVD diamond with characterization by CU showing preserved NV center spin coherence time and ODMR. The photonic circuits will next be characterized by CU for their electric and magnetic field sensitivity, and are expected to lead to record high performance.
RO5: Spin-photon quantum interface for quantum communication node
IFN and UULM have developed a new hybrid fabrication method to precisely position silicon vacancy based quantum bits within laser-formed photonic circuits in diamond. With this new technique, we have demonstrated an integrated diamond chip that can engineer light at the single photon level. The next step is to fabricate three dimensional photonic circuits to enable efficient quantum photonic networks.
LasIonDef will provide a great impact on the careers of ESRs through excellence in training, research and innovation, giving rise to a unique, interdisciplinary and international training environment to bolster Europe’s position in quantum technologies. The project will provide the following skills to its ESRs to increase their employability:
1. Research skills: exposure to cutting-edge research projects with a strong supervisor-student relationship will lead to ESRs with prolific scientific skills, including formidable paper-writing and presentation skills. Secondments will be emphasised in inter-sectoral institutes, to greatly broaden the knowledge of ESRs, giving them an interdisciplinary thought process able to tackle the most challenging modern scientific problems.
2. Transferable skills: the active involvement of non-academic beneficiaries and partner organizations will provide ESRs with transferable skills in management, leadership, business innovation, scientific communication through traditional and social media.
3. Creativity and Entrepreneurship: LasIonDef strives to provide an open and stimulating environment for creating new ideas. ESRs will be encouraged to network at project events and contribute to the dissemination on the project web site and social networks. The balance between research and training within LasIonDef will endow ESRs with an exceptional combination of scientific and transversal skills, which will greatly improve their intersectorial employability as well as their entrepreneurial attitude towards deep-tech startup initiatives.
The timely research on quantum technologies, and their associated material platforms and nanofabrication methods, are central topics in present day and future high-tech development in Europe.
LasIonDef will provide innovative doctoral training in the field of quantum technologies with topics including material synthesis, single-ion implantation and ion-beam lithography, laser processing, photonics design and characterisation, quantum optics, and microfluidic lab-on a chip development. Compared to current doctoral programs on quantum technologies, LasIonDef presents a unique, interdisciplinary approach involving cutting edge fabrication technologies (laser writing and localised ion implantation) and three promising material platforms (diamond, GaN and hBN). Although the fabrication approaches are diverse in their nature, hybrid and complementary fabrication involving a combination of the techniques will be pursued, which is anticipated to lead to novel and high-performance quantum emitters in these materials for quantum technologies and will push forward the miniaturisation and integration of quantum technological solutions.
1. Research skills: exposure to cutting-edge research projects with a strong supervisor-student relationship will lead to ESRs with prolific scientific skills, including formidable paper-writing and presentation skills. Secondments will be emphasised in inter-sectoral institutes, to greatly broaden the knowledge of ESRs, giving them an interdisciplinary thought process able to tackle the most challenging modern scientific problems.
2. Transferable skills: the active involvement of non-academic beneficiaries and partner organizations will provide ESRs with transferable skills in management, leadership, business innovation, scientific communication through traditional and social media.
3. Creativity and Entrepreneurship: LasIonDef strives to provide an open and stimulating environment for creating new ideas. ESRs will be encouraged to network at project events and contribute to the dissemination on the project web site and social networks. The balance between research and training within LasIonDef will endow ESRs with an exceptional combination of scientific and transversal skills, which will greatly improve their intersectorial employability as well as their entrepreneurial attitude towards deep-tech startup initiatives.
The timely research on quantum technologies, and their associated material platforms and nanofabrication methods, are central topics in present day and future high-tech development in Europe.
LasIonDef will provide innovative doctoral training in the field of quantum technologies with topics including material synthesis, single-ion implantation and ion-beam lithography, laser processing, photonics design and characterisation, quantum optics, and microfluidic lab-on a chip development. Compared to current doctoral programs on quantum technologies, LasIonDef presents a unique, interdisciplinary approach involving cutting edge fabrication technologies (laser writing and localised ion implantation) and three promising material platforms (diamond, GaN and hBN). Although the fabrication approaches are diverse in their nature, hybrid and complementary fabrication involving a combination of the techniques will be pursued, which is anticipated to lead to novel and high-performance quantum emitters in these materials for quantum technologies and will push forward the miniaturisation and integration of quantum technological solutions.