Femtosecond-laser-induced creation of G and W color centers in silicon-on-insulator substrates

The creation of fluorescent defects in silicon is a key stepping stone toward assuring the integration perspectives of quantum photonic devices into existing technologies. Here, we demonstrate the creation, by femtosecond laser annealing, of W and G centers in commercial silicon on insulator (SOI) previously implanted with 12C+ ions. Their quality is comparable to that found for the same emitters obtained with conventional implantation processes; as quantified by the photoluminescence radiative lifetime, the broadening of their zero-phonon line (ZPL), and the evolution of these quantities with temperature. In addition to this, we show that both defects can be created without carbon implantation and that we can erase the G centers by annealing while enhancing the W-center emission. These demonstrations are relevant to the deterministic and operando generation of quantum emitters in silicon.