Qubits creation in wide bandgap semiconductors by swift heavy ion irradiation – QUWiS

The aim of this project is to find in wide bandgap semiconductors (SiC, AlN, and GaN) coherent quantum bits that could be complements/alternatives to the well-known NV center in diamond for quantum sensing, computing. We will use Swift Heavy Ion (SHI) irradiation to create and/or activate point defects with a spin triplet configuration: (di)-vacancy, oxygen and transition metal-vacancy complexes. We will create the first two defects by SHI irradiation under controlled atmosphere and the latter by irradiating materials pre-doped with transition metals. In both cases, SHI irradiation offers the advantage of high spatial separation of spin defects as they are only created along the ion trajectory. In fact, with SHI, chain of defects is created in a nanometric cylindrical volume. It can then be isolated with a precision better than that obtained with recently adopted methods for localized qubits creation: femtosecond laser writing or low energy ion implantation either through a mask or with a focused ion nano-beam.