Controlled growth of rare-earth-doped TiO ₂thin films on III-V semiconductors for hybrid quantum photonic interfaces

Henry C Hammer; Caleb Whittier; Nathan A Helvy; Christopher Rouleau; Nabil D Bassim; Ravitej Uppu

doi:10.48550/arxiv.2511.03918

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Controlled growth of rare-earth-doped TiO ₂thin films on III-V semiconductors for hybrid quantum photonic interfaces

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Controlled growth of rare-earth-doped TiO ₂thin films on III-V semiconductors for hybrid quantum photonic interfaces

Henry C Hammer, Caleb Whittier, Nathan A Helvy, Christopher Rouleau, Nabil D Bassim and Ravitej Uppu

ArXiv.org

Cornell University

11/05/2025

DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2511.03918

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https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2511.03918View

Preprint (Author's original)This preprint has not been evaluated by subject experts through peer review. Preprints may undergo extensive changes and/or become peer-reviewed journal articles. Open Access

Abstract

Quantum photonic networks require two distinct functionalities: bright single-photon sources and long-lived quantum memories. III-V semiconductor quantum dots excel as deterministic and coherent photon emitters, while rare-earth ions such as erbium (Er $^{3+}$ ) in crystalline oxides offer exceptional spin and optical coherence at telecom wavelengths. Combining these systems and their functionalities via direct epitaxy is challenging due to lattice mismatch and incompatible growth conditions. Here we demonstrate low-temperature pulsed laser deposition of Er $^{3+}$ -doped TiO $_{2}$thin films directly on GaAs and GaSb substrates. Controlled surface preparation with an arsenic cap and an oxygen-deficient buffer layer enables the growth of epitaxial anatase TiO $_{2}$(001) at 390 $^{o}$ C with sub-300 pm surface roughness, while avoiding interface degradation. In contrast, high-temperature oxide desorption or growth temperatures drive the transition to rough, polycrystalline rutile film, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Minimal coincident interface area (MCIA) modeling explains the orientation-selective growth on GaAs and GaSb. Raman and cryogenic photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy verify the crystal phase and optical activation of Er $^{3+}$ions. This multi-parameter growth strategy helps preserve III-V quantum dot functionality and yields smooth surfaces suitable for low-loss nanophotonic structures. Our results establish a materials platform for monolithically integrating rare-earth quantum memories with semiconductor photon sources, paving the way toward scalable hybrid quantum photonic chips.

Physics - Materials Science

Physics - Optics

Physics - Quantum Physics

Details

Title: Subtitle: Controlled growth of rare-earth-doped TiO ₂thin films on III-V semiconductors for hybrid quantum photonic interfaces
Creators: Henry C Hammer - University of Iowa
Caleb Whittier - McMaster University
Nathan A Helvy - University of Iowa
Christopher Rouleau - Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Nabil D Bassim - McMaster University
Ravitej Uppu - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Preprint
Publication Details: ArXiv.org
DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2511.03918
ISSN: 2331-8422
Publisher: Cornell University; Ithaca, New York
Language: English
Date posted: 11/05/2025
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9985024248402771

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