Processing of photonic crystal nanocavity for quantum information in diamond

The realization of photonic crystals (PC) in diamond is of major importance for the entire field of spintronics based on fluorescent centers in diamond. The processing steps for the case of diamond differ from those commonly used, due to the extreme chemical and mechanical properties of this material. The present work summarizes the state of the art in the realization of PC's in diamond. It is based on the creation of a free standing diamond membrane into which the desired nano-sized patterns are milled by the use of Focused-Ion-Beam (FIB). The optimal fabrication-oriented structure parameters are predicted by simulations. The milling strategies, the method of formation the diamond membrane, recipes for dielectric material-manipulation in FIB and optical characterization constraints are discussed in conjunction with their implication on PC cavity design. The thus produced structures are characterized via confocal photoluminescence.

Research highlights
► Single crystal diamond membrane 2D-photonic crystal (PC) nanocavities are studied.
► The cavity processing oriented parameter space design considerations are analyzed.
► The PC membrane formation, cavity patterning and device relocation are presented.
► The PC and NV color center photoluminescence optical characterization is discussed.