We operate four separate labs with several setups dedicated to quantum optics and spintronics experiments. We take pride in designing and assembling our own customised setups, tailored for high-performance spectroscopy and quantum control. You can visit our lab virtually on this page (please select “Physics, Photonics and Quantum sciences”).

Three of our current confocal microscopes operate at room temperature:
– one for experiments on adaptive and machine learning-enhanced quantum sensing with NV centres in diamond. This setup includes a custom-designed state-of-the-art electronic chain for real-time adaptive learning, described in MJ Arshad et al, Phys Rev Appl (2024).
– one for automated sample characterisation, mostly used for spin centres in SiC. The setup includes machine vision algorithms to detect the position on the sample with respect to markers and automated operation of basic experimental measurements (photoluminescence maps, saturation measurements, alignment on single centres, etc). We use this setup to register photonic structures, such as solid immersion lenses and microcavities, to quantum emitters and to characterise large batches of SiC quantum opto-electronic devices.
– one for chemical sensing. This setup utilises NV centres in diamond as nano/micro-scale quantum sensors of chemical reactions of biological interest.

Five more setups operate at low (T~4K) temperature, enabling studies of coherent spin-photon interfacing. These setups are based on state-of-the-art low-vibration cryostats equipped by custom optical microscopy systems:
– three Attocube Attodry 1000, including 9T superconducting magnets, are used to push single-photon generation to the limits (with self-assembled quantum dots) and to study novel physics in 2D materials and their heterostructures.
– one Attocube AttoDry 800 (with low-temperature LT-APO objective) is currently used for our work on coupling excitons in 2D materials to integrated photonic structures. This system features both free-space and fiber-based optical coupling, with multi-spot addressing capabilities.
– one Montana s100 (with room-temperature high-NA objective in the vacuum) is used for experiments on spin-photon interfacing in SiC. This system includes the capability to apply magnetic fields up to ~200mT, through an external temperature-stabilised permanent magnet, and microwave connections for spin control.

We additionally operate the “Nanoscale Quantum Sensing” facility, including a low-temperature scanning NV magnetometer, and a 10mK dilution refrigerator with optical access.

All setups integrate components required for optical spectroscopy and optical/microwave control of single emitters, including:

• High grade tunable lasers. Pulsed and cw, covering a wavelength range between 400 and 1350 nm, including two Msquared Solstis cw Ti:Sa systems, one Coherent Chamaleon pulsed Ti:Sa and several Toptica tunable cw lasers. Tunable lases can be frequency-locked with high-resolution and high-accuracy wavemeters.
• Low-noise high-resolution spectrometers. We operate four high-resolution Princeton Instruments spectrometers with liquid nitrogen cooled cameras to make the detect spectra of single quantum emitters with low background noise, from visible to telecom wavelengths.
• Superconducting detectors. A superconducting single photon detection system (SingleQuantum EOS), spanning the 700-1500nm range enables us to detect single photons from a variety of quantum emitters with low jitter and minimal background noise.
• Radiofrequency equipment and high-speed electronics  to perform quantum gates on spins with high fidelity, integrating real-time feedback and machine-learning capabilities. Our labs host an ADwin Pro II hard real-time micro-controller system, three Zurich Instruments’ HDAWGs, one Quantum Machines’ OPX+, several Rohde&Schwarz microwave sources and several high-quality amplifiers (Amplifiers Research and Minicircuits, up to 6 GHz).