Speaker
Description
Focused ion beam (FIB) technology has evolved from a versatile microfabrication and imaging tool into a powerful platform for atomic-scale materials design, enabling the modification, doping and restructuring materials with nanometer precision. Our research advances FIB capabilities to explore new pathways for unprecedented applications [1]. For instance, we recently demonstrated the local phase transformation of β- to γ-Ga₂O₃ through ion-induced lattice disorder, enabling site-specific tuning of electronic and optical properties for advanced device applications [2,3].
We also developed an ultralong, high-density data storage concept in radiation-resistant silicon carbide, based on optically active atomic-scale defects, allowing multi-layer, diffraction-unlimited optical data archiving beyond conventional media [4]. Certain ion species can induce defects that form color centers acting as single-photon emitters for quantum photonics; for example, Si⁺ [5] and C⁺ ions [6] have been used to create G- and W-centers in silicon that emit in the telecom O-band, ideal for fiber-optic communication to create long distance quantum networks.
Finally, we present our latest efforts toward deterministic single-ion implantation of group V donors in silicon for spin qubits, as well as isotopic purification of ²⁸Si via high-fluence implantation, paving the way for ultra-coherent quantum devices [7]. These results highlight the versatility of FIB technology as a precise tool for materials engineering at the nanoscale, bridging quantum technologies, advanced photonics, and high-density data storage.
[1] Höflich, Katja, et al. Applied Physics Reviews 10.4 (2023).
[2] Azarov, Alexander, et al. Nature Communications 14.1 (2023): 4855.
[3] Bektas, Umutcan, et al. arXiv preprint arXiv:2505.03541 (2025).
[4] Hollenbach, M., et al. Advanced Functional Materials 34.27 (2024): 2313413.
[5] Hollenbach, M., et al. Nature Communications 13.1 (2022): 7683.
[6] Hollenbach, M., et al. Advanced Quantum Technologies 8.1 (2025): 2400184.
[7] Lim, Shao Qi, et al. Physical Review Materials 9.7 (2025): 076202.
