Etching for quantum-ready surfaces

The burgeoning field of quantum mechanical devices is impeded by the lossy nature of its underlying physical systems. Such devices are pristine in conception but not in physical realization. Unlike classical devices, quantum devices that rely on individual particles cannot tolerate loss. Fabrication techniques are imperfectin this regard and are a major barrier to quantum supremacy. This thesis seeks to improve the fabrication methodology for etching a few pertinent quantum materials: 4H-SiC, diamond, and CeO2. The former sees development in metal-assisted chemical etching (MacEtch) and all three gain plasma-based anisotropic atomic layer etching (ALE) recipes. Moreover, the field of ALE is expanded with a novel approach to ALE, called bias-pulsed atomic layer etching (BP-ALE) that vastly speeds the etch rate while maintaining the inimitable precision of ALE. Subangstrom RMS surface roughness was observed in both 4H-SiC and diamond confirmed with several atomic force microscopy (AFM) scans. The quality of these etched surfaces is confirmed by probing point defect spin qubits embedded inside 4H-SiC substrates. MacEtch is shown to enhance photoluminescence intensity of embedded spin qubits, and BP-ALE is used to study the surface proximal effects on theses systems

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical & Computer Engr

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Michaels, Julian Arthur

Contributors dc:contributor

• Eden, James G
• Li, Xiuling
• Bogdanov, Simeon
• Goldschmidt, Elizabeth
• Lyding, Joseph
• Ravaioli, Umberto

• Quantum
• Atomic Layer Etching
• Nanotechnology
• Plasma
• Plasma Etching
• Atomic Force Microscopy
• Wet Etching
• Quantum Devices

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2023 Julian Michaels

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/121939

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F121939