Scalable quantum networking requires quantum systems with quantum processing capabilities. Solid state spin systems with reliable spin–optical interfaces are a leading hardware in this regard. However, available systems suffer from large electron–phonon interaction or fast spin dephasing. Here, we demonstrate that the negatively charged silicon-vacancy centre in silicon carbide is immune to both drawbacks. Thanks to its ⁴A₂ symmetry in ground and excited states, optical resonances are stable with near-Fourier-transform-limited linewidths, allowing exploitation of the spin selectivity of the optical transitions. In combination with millisecond-long spin coherence times originating from the high-purity crystal, we demonstrate high-fidelity optical initialization and coherent spin control, which we exploit to show coherent coupling to single nuclear spins with ∼1 kHz resolution. The summary of our findings makes this defect a prime candidate for realising memory-assisted quantum network applications using semiconductor-based spin-to-photon interfaces and coherently coupled nuclear spins.

Divacancies in a diode: Solid-state defects hold great promise as the building blocks for quantum computers. Most research has focused on defects in diamond, which are difficult to integrate with existing semiconductor technologies. An alternative two-vacancy neutral defect in silicon carbide (SiC) has a long coherence time but suffers from broad optical linewidths and charge instability. Anderson et al. fabricated these defects in a diode made out of commercially available SiC. Reverse voltage created large electric fields within the diode, tuning the frequencies of the defect's transitions by hundreds of gigahertz. The electric fields also caused charge depletion, leading to a dramatic narrowing of the transitions. The technique should be readily generalizable to other quantum defects. Science , this issue p. 1225

The divacancies in SiC are a family of paramagnetic defects that show promise for quantum communication technologies due to their long-lived electron spin coherence and their optical addressability at near-telecom wavelengths. Nonetheless, a high-fidelity spin-photon interface, which is a crucial prerequisite for such technologies, has not yet been demonstrated. Here, we demonstrate that such an interface exists in isolated divacancies in epitaxial films of 3C-SiC and 4H-SiC. Our data show that divacancies in 4H-SiC have minimal undesirable spin mixing, and that the optical linewidths in our current sample are already similar to those of recent remote entanglement demonstrations in other systems. Moreover, we find that 3C-SiC divacancies have a millisecond Hahn-echo spin coherence time, which is among the longest measured in a naturally isotopic solid. The presence of defects with these properties in a commercial semiconductor that can be heteroepitaxially grown as a thin film on Si shows promise for future quantum networks based on SiC defects.

Electron paramagnetic resonance and ab initio supercell calculations suggest that the $P6/P7$ centers, which were previously assigned to the photoexcited triplet states of the carbon vacancy-antisite pairs in the double positive charge state, are related to the triplet ground states of the neutral divacancy. The spin density is found to be located mainly on three nearest C neighbors of the silicon vacancy, whereas it is negligible on the nearest Si neighbors of the carbon vacancy.