The negatively-charged silicon-vacancy (SiV−) center in diamond is a bright source of indistinguishable single photons and a useful resource in quantum information protocols. Until now, SiV− centers with narrow optical linewidths and small inhomogeneous distributions of SiV− transition frequencies have only been reported in samples doped with silicon during diamond growth. We present a technique for producing implanted SiV− centers with nearly lifetime-limited optical linewidths and a small inhomogeneous distribution. These properties persist after nanofabrication, paving the way for incorporation of high-quality SiV− centers into nanophotonic devices.
