On-Demand, Direct Printing of Nanodiamonds at the Quantum Level
Practical realization of quantum devices calls for the placement of individual qubits on complex nanophotonic circuits. However, this prerequisite continues to suffer from coarse positioning accuracy, low throughput, and process complexity. We developed a novel nanoprinting scheme that allows the controllable placement of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center nanodiamonds at the quantum level. The scheme enables remarkable achievements that are not attainable by other approaches: (1) single-quantum level quantity control, (2) sub-wavelength positional accuracy, and (3) scalable, ‘lithography-free’ patterning capability. We believe this work to be a game-changer, as it directly addresses the key technological challenge associated with the realization of quantum devices. The patent for this invention has been filed (US 63/236,411, PCT Application No. PCT/CN2022/113516).