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Gong R, Du X, Janzen E, Liu V, Liu Z, He G, Ye B, Li T, Yao NY, Edgar JH, Henriksen EA, Zu C. Isotope engineering for spin defects in van der Waals materials. Nat Commun 2024; 15:104. [PMID: 38168074 PMCID: PMC10761865 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44494-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Spin defects in van der Waals materials offer a promising platform for advancing quantum technologies. Here, we propose and demonstrate a powerful technique based on isotope engineering of host materials to significantly enhance the coherence properties of embedded spin defects. Focusing on the recently-discovered negatively charged boron vacancy center ([Formula: see text]) in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), we grow isotopically purified h10B15N crystals. Compared to [Formula: see text] in hBN with the natural distribution of isotopes, we observe substantially narrower and less crowded [Formula: see text] spin transitions as well as extended coherence time T2 and relaxation time T1. For quantum sensing, [Formula: see text] centers in our h10B15N samples exhibit a factor of 4 (2) enhancement in DC (AC) magnetic field sensitivity. For additional quantum resources, the individual addressability of the [Formula: see text] hyperfine levels enables the dynamical polarization and coherent control of the three nearest-neighbor 15N nuclear spins. Our results demonstrate the power of isotope engineering for enhancing the properties of quantum spin defects in hBN, and can be readily extended to improving spin qubits in a broad family of van der Waals materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruotian Gong
- Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Xinyi Du
- Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Eli Janzen
- Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Vincent Liu
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Zhongyuan Liu
- Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Guanghui He
- Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Bingtian Ye
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Tongcang Li
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
- Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Norman Y Yao
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - James H Edgar
- Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Erik A Henriksen
- Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Chong Zu
- Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
- Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
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Clua-Provost T, Durand A, Mu Z, Rastoin T, Fraunié J, Janzen E, Schutte H, Edgar JH, Seine G, Claverie A, Marie X, Robert C, Gil B, Cassabois G, Jacques V. Isotopic Control of the Boron-Vacancy Spin Defect in Hexagonal Boron Nitride. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 131:126901. [PMID: 37802939 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.131.126901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
We report on electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy of boron-vacancy (V_{B}^{-}) centers hosted in isotopically engineered hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) crystals. We first show that isotopic purification of hBN with ^{15}N yields a simplified and well-resolved hyperfine structure of V_{B}^{-} centers, while purification with ^{10}B leads to narrower ESR linewidths. These results establish isotopically purified h^{10}B^{15}N crystals as the optimal host material for future use of V_{B}^{-} spin defects in quantum technologies. Capitalizing on these findings, we then demonstrate optically induced polarization of ^{15}N nuclei in h^{10}B^{15}N, whose mechanism relies on electron-nuclear spin mixing in the V_{B}^{-} ground state. This work opens up new prospects for future developments of spin-based quantum sensors and simulators on a two-dimensional material platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Clua-Provost
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Université de Montpellier and CNRS, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - A Durand
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Université de Montpellier and CNRS, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Z Mu
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Université de Montpellier and CNRS, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - T Rastoin
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Université de Montpellier and CNRS, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - J Fraunié
- Université de Toulouse, INSA-CNRS-UPS, LPCNO, 135 Avenue Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - E Janzen
- Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
| | - H Schutte
- Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
| | - J H Edgar
- Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
| | - G Seine
- CEMES-CNRS and Université de Toulouse, 29 rue J. Marvig, 31055 Toulouse, France
| | - A Claverie
- CEMES-CNRS and Université de Toulouse, 29 rue J. Marvig, 31055 Toulouse, France
| | - X Marie
- Université de Toulouse, INSA-CNRS-UPS, LPCNO, 135 Avenue Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - C Robert
- Université de Toulouse, INSA-CNRS-UPS, LPCNO, 135 Avenue Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - B Gil
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Université de Montpellier and CNRS, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - G Cassabois
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Université de Montpellier and CNRS, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - V Jacques
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Université de Montpellier and CNRS, 34095 Montpellier, France
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