Physics Department - Quantum Initiatives in Norway and Discovery of Polymorph Heterostructures

Abstract
Several initiatives have been recently launched in Norway aiming to strengthen the quantum technology research, even though the size of these initiatives remains relatively modest comparing with the programs running by the leading research nations. Nevertheless, building on our tradition in physics of defects in semiconductors, we organized a Centre for Defects in Semiconductors for Quantum Sensing in Norway, active 2025-2030. Fig.1 illustrates the ambition to work from fundamentals to applications. The vision is that the Centre becomes a hub for national and international cooperation on quantum technology in Norway. For example, there are efforts already resulted in collecting pioneering data on single photon emission in silicon together with EU partners [1], mastering Er:LiNbO3 quantum memory platform with colleagues in Korea [2], or recently commenced project to assist doctors at the Oslo hospital to block tumour cell invasion by more accurate mechanical forces measurements using quantum sensors. Another gain capitalized out of our tradition in physics of defects in semiconductors, is a discovery of disorder-induced ordering and unprecedentedly high radiation tolerance in Ga2O3 and related materials [3-6]. Probably even more importantly, we showed that this process may be tuned towards self-assembling of atomically abrupt polymorph interfaces out of stochastic disorder in solid state [7-8]. Altogether, these data pave the way for enhancing functionalities in materials with not previously thought capabilities.

References
[1] W. Redjem et al. Single artificial atoms in silicon emitting at telecom wavelengths. Nature Electronics 3, 738–743 (2020).
[2] T. Slusar et al. Er:LiNbO3 quantum memory platform optimized with dynamic defect annealing, Advanced Optical Materials 12, 2470118 (2025)
[3] A. Azarov et al. Disorder induced ordering in gallium oxide polymorphs, Physical Review Letters 128, 15704 (2022)
[4] A. Azarov et al. Universal radiation tolerant semiconductor, Nature Communications 14, 4855 (2023)
[5] Q-S.Huang et al. Nature of disordering in 𝛾−Ga2O3, Physical Review Letters 133, 226101(2024)
[6]. J. Zhao et al. Crystallization instead amorphization in collision cascades in gallium oxide, Physical Review Letters 134, 126101(2025)
[7]. A. Azarov et al. Self-assembling of multilayered polymorphs with ion beams, Nano Letters, 25, 1637(2025)
[8]. A. Azarov et al. Phase glides and self-organization of atomically abrupt interfaces out of stochastic disorder in α-Ga2O3. Nature Communications 16, 3245 (2025).