Infrared erbium photoluminescence enhancement in silicon carbide nano-pillars

Color centers that emit light at telecommunication wavelengths are promising candidates for future quantum technologies. A pressing challenge for the broad use of these color centers is the typically low collection efficiency from bulk samples. Here, we demonstrate enhancements of the emission collection efficiency for Er3+ incorporated into 4H-SiC surface nano-pillars fabricated using a scalable top-down approach. Optimal Er ion implantation and annealing strategies are investigated in detail. The substitutional fraction of Er atoms in the SiC lattice is closely correlated with the peak photoluminescence intensity. This intensity is further enhanced via spatial wave-guiding once the surface is patterned with nano-pillars. These results have broad applicability for use with other color centers in SiC and also demonstrate a step toward a scalable protocol for fabricating photonic quantum devices with enhanced emission characteristics.