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HRZZ-IPCH bilateral project: "New Approaches For Deterministic Precision Ion Implantation With Advanced Gas Ionisation Particle Detectors"

Category
Projekti Hrvatske zaklade za znanost
Total cost
187.903,87
EUR
Start date
Jul 1st 2025
End date
Jun 30th 2028
Status
Active

Principal investigator

Zdravko Siketić, dr. sc.

zsiketic@irb.hr

+385 1 457 1227

The aim of this proposal is to develop an innovative approach for deterministic ion irradiation and implantation, utilizing a gas-based direct pre-impact particle detector. The project brings together research partners with unique expertise in development of ion beam techniques and particle detection technologies – the Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics at ETH Zurich (ETH LIP) and the Laboratory for Ion Beam Interactions at Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI LIBI). 
The ETH team will take the lead in the realization of a state-of-the-art low noise gas ionization detector with novel transmission geometry, minimizing dead-layer effects and offering unprecedented detection confidence for ion energies ranging from tens of keV to several MeVs.  Simultaneously, the RBI group will optimize their low-energy 200 kV implanter to deliver ion beams with lateral positioning precision better than a few hundred nanometers. 
A central demonstration of the system's capabilities will involve the implantation of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in high-purity diamond substrates. NV centers are point defects that have remarkable quantum properties. By leveraging this system, it is planned to create a precise raster of NV centers in diamond with exceptional accuracy and single-ion counting capability, while at the same time eliminating the need for traditional sample masking. This approach simplifies the fabrication process and enhances the reproducibility and scalability of quantum devices, particularly for high resolution quantum sensing and imaging applications. Post-implantation, the samples will be characterized at the Spin Physics and Imaging group of ETH Zurich by photoluminescence mapping and Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance (ODMR) spectroscopy to locate and analyze the spectral properties of implanted quantum emitters. It is also planned to conduct systematic studies on conversion-yield effects and investigate unwanted radiation-induced sources of electromagnetic noise in the local environment around implantation sites. Utilizing the novel ability to deliver precise ion fluences down to the single-ion level, these studies aim to gain insights into improving the efficiency of NV center creation and understanding the mechanisms affecting their performance.
The results of this project will be presented at international conferences and published in two Q1 scientific journals, offering significant contributions to the fields of ion implantation and quantum materials.

Division of Experimental Physics