A breakthrough in the fabrication of silicon carbide (SiC) color centers using femtosecond laser technology has been achieved by the research team of Professor Min Qiu. The work, led by doctoral student Xiaoyu Sun (Class of 2021), has been published in Optics Letters. The study, titled "Femtosecond laser-induced CSiVC color centers on the surface of N-doped 4H-SiC," demonstrates the controlled creation of carbon antisite-vacancy (CSiVC) color centers on nitrogen-doped 4H-SiC surfaces, enabling the precise fabrication of dual-color luminescent micro-patterns. This advancement offers a new material platform for quantum information technology and high-performance photonic devices.

By precisely adjusting the femtosecond laser’s pulse energy (5–1000 nJ) and pulse number (1–3 pulses), the team induced color centers with dual emission bands in the visible (675 nm) and near-infrared (900 nm) regions on the SiC surface. Low-temperature (1.8K) photoluminescence tests clearly revealed the zero-phonon lines (ZPLs) of the CSiVC color centers, confirming their quantum emission characteristics. The study also found that multi-pulse processing enhances color center formation, but excessive pulses cause lattice damage, highlighting the complex balance between laser parameters and fabrication efficiency. The team further demonstrated spatial patterning capabilities by fabricating a luminescent structure resembling Westlake University’s logo via laser scanning, showcasing the potential for integrated photonic devices and quantum light source arrays.

This research not only expands the application of femtosecond laser processing in color center fabrication within wide-bandgap semiconductors but also underscores its significant potential for future quantum sensing, single-photon sources, and photonic integrated devices. The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and relevant data have been openly shared.

Paper Link：https://opg.optica.org/ol/fulltext.cfm?uri=ol-50-19-5981&id=577979