Surface passivation for narrowing optical linewidth of silicon T centers in nanophotonic devices

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2608.09904v1
• Date: Mon, 10 Aug 2026 17:49:28 GMT
• Title: Surface passivation for narrowing optical linewidth of silicon T centers in nanophotonic devices
• Abstract summary: A major challenge for T centers in nanophotonics is spectral diffusion, where fluctuations in the local electric-field environment from surface and bulk charge states broaden the optical transition and reduce photon indistinguishability.<n>Here, we use atomic-layer-deposited Al2O3 to passivate the silicon surface and demonstrate a systematic narrowing of T center optical linewidths.<n>Across our measurements, Al2O3 passivation reduces the T center emission linewidth by up to 57%.<n>This work provides a CMOS-compatible path toward generating indistinguishable photons from silicon T centers for scalable quantum photonic applications.
• Score: 2.827960376001542
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Abstract: Silicon T centers are promising spin-photon interfaces in solid-state platforms for telecom-compatible, scalable quantum information technologies. A major challenge for T centers in nanophotonics is spectral diffusion, where fluctuations in the local electric-field environment from surface and bulk charge states broaden the optical transition and reduce photon indistinguishability. Strategies that directly suppress spectral diffusion are therefore critical for improving T-center-based quantum photonic devices. Here, we use atomic-layer-deposited Al2O3 to passivate the silicon surface and demonstrate a systematic narrowing of T center optical linewidths. Across our measurements, Al2O3 passivation reduces the T center emission linewidth by up to 57%. Complementary above-bandgap illumination and spectral hole burning measurements show that the remaining linewidth contains a significant spectral-diffusion component caused by adjacent charge traps, while placing an upper bound of approximately 75 MHz on the homogeneous linewidth. This work provides a CMOS-compatible path toward generating indistinguishable photons from silicon T centers for scalable quantum photonic applications.

Related papers

• Resolving and resetting the charge environment of single T-centers in silicon p-i-n waveguides [0.0]
  In nanophotonic devices, the optical linewidth is broadened by a fluctuating charge environment, limiting photon indistinguishability for quantum networking.<n>Here, we address this challenge through characterization and suppression of the local charge-noise of single T-centers in lateral p-i-n waveguides.<n>Across 46 emitters this reset narrows the median linewidth 3.5-fold to 0.57(5) GHz, and an optimized emitter reaches 128(22) MHz, the narrowest unheralded linewidth reported for an integrated T-center.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-08-17T01:05:45Z)
• Bright Telecom Spin-Photon Interface in Silicon Photonics [2.5817263808189135]
  Silicon is an attractive host for scalable quantum photonics, but the absence of bright telecom-band emitters has limited its use for spin-photon interfaces.<n>Here we demonstrate the Al1-center, an aluminum--carbon defect in silicon, as a bright waveguide-integrated single-photon emitter with a ground-state spin.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-07-20T18:35:56Z)
• Extracting Membrane-like hexagonal Boron Nitride hosting single Defect Centers for Resonator Integration [45.92397921863963]
  Integration of membranes into optical resonators plays a key role in a variety of applications, including optomechanics.<n> Layered, two-dimensional materials have emerged as candidates for membranes hosting atom-like quantum emitters.<n>We develope a toolset of nano-scaled manipulation techniques to extract membrane-like structures of commercially-available hBN containing spectrally narrow single photon emitters.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-08-19T16:22:58Z)
• Laser-induced spectral diffusion and excited-state mixing of silicon T centres [0.0]
  We study the dynamics of spectral wandering in nanophotonics-coupled, individual silicon T centres.<n>We demonstrate a 35x narrowing of the emitter linewidth to 110 MHz using a resonance-check scheme.<n>We report laser-induced spin-mixing in the excited state and discuss potential mechanisms common to both phenomena.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-04-14T06:09:17Z)
• Site-Controlled Purcell-Induced Bright Single Photon Emitters in Hexagonal Boron Nitride [62.170141783047974]
  Single photon emitters hosted in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are essential building blocks for quantum photonic technologies that operate at room temperature. We experimentally demonstrate large-area arrays of plasmonic nanoresonators for Purcell-induced site-controlled SPEs. Our results offer arrays of bright, heterogeneously integrated quantum light sources, paving the way for robust and scalable quantum information systems.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2024-05-03T23:02:30Z)
• All-optical modulation with single-photons using electron avalanche [66.27103948750306]
  We demonstrate all-optical modulation enabled by electron avalanche process in silicon.<n>Our approach opens the possibility of gigahertz-speed, and potentially even faster, optical switching at the single-photon level.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-12-18T20:14:15Z)
• Cavity-coupled telecom atomic source in silicon [0.0]
  In this work, we demonstrate the cavity-enhanced fluorescence emission from a single T center. Results represent a significant step towards building efficient T center spin-photon interfaces for quantum information processing and networking applications.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-10-30T21:03:38Z)
• Room Temperature Fiber-Coupled single-photon devices based on Colloidal Quantum Dots and SiV centers in Back Excited Nanoantennas [91.6474995587871]
  Directionality is achieved with a hybrid metal-dielectric bullseye antenna. Back-excitation is permitted by placement of the emitter at or in a sub-wavelength hole positioned at the bullseye center.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-03-19T14:54:56Z)
• T centres in photonic silicon-on-insulator material [0.0]
  T radiation damage centres in silicon provide a promising photon-spin interface. These defect centres have only been studied as ensembles in bulk silicon. We demonstrate the reliable creation of high concentration T centre ensembles in the 220 nm device layer of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2021-03-06T00:34:51Z)
• Inverse-designed photon extractors for optically addressable defect qubits [48.7576911714538]
  Inverse-design optimization of photonic devices enables unprecedented flexibility in tailoring critical parameters of a spin-photon interface. Inverse-designed devices will enable realization of scalable arrays of single-photon emitters, rapid characterization of new quantum emitters, sensing and efficient heralded entanglement schemes.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-07-24T04:30:14Z)
• Tunable quantum photonics platform based on fiber-cavity enhanced single photon emission from two-dimensional hBN [52.915502553459724]
  In this work we present a hybrid system consisting of defect centers in few-layer hBN grown by chemical vapor deposition and a fiber-based Fabry-Perot cavity. We achieve very large cavity-assisted signal enhancement up to 50-fold and equally strong linewidth narrowing owing to cavity funneling. Our work marks an important milestone for the deployment of 2D materials coupled to fiber-based cavities in practical quantum technologies.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-06-23T14:20:46Z)
• Hyperentanglement in structured quantum light [50.591267188664666]
  Entanglement in high-dimensional quantum systems, where one or more degrees of freedom of light are involved, offers increased information capacities and enables new quantum protocols. Here, we demonstrate a functional source of high-dimensional, noise-resilient hyperentangled states encoded in time-frequency and vector-vortex structured modes. We generate highly entangled photon pairs at telecom wavelength that we characterise via two-photon interference and quantum state tomography, achieving near-unity visibilities and fidelities.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-06-02T18:00:04Z)

This list is automatically generated from the titles and abstracts of the papers in this site.

This site does not guarantee the quality of this site (including all information) and is not responsible for any consequences.