Spin and Optical Properties of ZnO Donors Synthesized via Implantation

Donors in semiconductors are attractive qubit candidates for quantum information applications. In a direct band gap semiconductor, the donor spin is optically coupled to the donor-bound exciton providing a means for initialization, readout and control. Here we present recent results on donor and donor-bound excitons in the direct band gap semiconductor zinc oxide (ZnO). We focus on donors that we can create via ion implantation, specifically indium and the I10 donor, both in commercial substrates and high-purity MBE epitaxial layers. The longitudinal spin relaxation times approach 1s, the optical transition linewidth of single donors is approximately three times broader than the fundamental limit, and hyperfine interaction strength with the indium nuclear spin of 100 MHz is observed.