Ultrafast optical control of orbital and spin dynamics in a solid-state defect

Temperature Dependence of Photoluminescence Intensity and Spin Contrast in Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers

We report on measurements of the photoluminescence properties of single nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond at temperatures between 4 K and 300 K. We observe a strong reduction of the PL intensity and spin contrast between ca. 10 K and 100 K that recovers to high levels below and above. Further, we find a rich dependence on magnetic bias field and crystal strain. We develop a comprehensive model based on spin mixing and orbital hopping in the electronic excited state that quantitatively explains the observations. Beyond a more complete understanding of the excited-state dynamics, our work provides a novel approach for probing electron-phonon interactions and a predictive tool for optimizing experimental conditions for quantum applications.

Effects of Floquet Engineering on the Coherent Exciton Dynamics in Monolayer WS2

Coherent optical manipulation of electronic bandstructures via Floquet Engineering is a promising means to control quantum systems on an ultrafast time scale. However, the ultrafast switching on/off of the driving field comes with questions regarding the limits of the Floquet formalism (which is defined for an infinite periodic drive) through the switching process and to what extent the transient changes can be driven adiabatically. Experimentally addressing these questions has been difficult, in large part due to the absence of an established technique to measure coherent dynamics through the duration of the pulse. Here, using multidimensional coherent spectroscopy we explicitly excite, control, and probe a coherent superposition of excitons in the K and K' valleys in monolayer WS₂. With a circularly polarized, red-detuned pump pulse, the degeneracy of the K and K' excitons can be lifted, and the phase of the coherence rotated. We directly measure phase rotations greater than π during the 100 fs driving pulse and show that this can be described by a combination of the AC-Stark shift of excitons in one valley and the Bloch-Siegert shift of excitons in the opposite valley. Despite showing a smooth evolution of the phase that directly follows the intensity envelope of the nonresonant pump pulse, the process is not perfectly adiabatic. By measuring the magnitude of the macroscopic coherence as it evolves before, during, and after the nonresonant pump pulse we show that there is additional decoherence caused by power broadening in the presence of the nonresonant pump. This nonadiabaticity arises as a result of interactions with the otherwise adiabatic Floquet states and may be a problem for many applications, such as manipulating qubits in quantum information processing; however, these measurements also suggest ways such effects can be minimized or eliminated.

Microscopic insights to spin transport-driven ultrafast magnetization dynamics in a Gd/Fe bilayer

Laser-induced spin transport is a key ingredient in ultrafast spin dynamics. However, it remains debated to what extent ultrafast magnetization dynamics generates spin currents and vice versa. We use time- and spin-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to study an antiferromagnetically coupled Gd/Fe bilayer, a prototype system for all-optical switching. Spin transport leads to an ultrafast drop of the spin polarization at the Gd surface, demonstrating angular-momentum transfer over several nanometers. Thereby, Fe acts as spin filter, absorbing spin majority but reflecting spin minority electrons. Spin transport from Gd to Fe was corroborated by an ultrafast increase of the Fe spin polarization in a reversed Fe/Gd bilayer. In contrast, for a pure Gd film, spin transport into the tungsten substrate can be neglected, as spin polarization stays constant. Our results suggest that ultrafast spin transport drives the magnetization dynamics in Gd/Fe and reveal microscopic insights into ultrafast spin dynamics.

Spin-defect qubits in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides operating at telecom wavelengths

Solid state quantum defects are promising candidates for scalable quantum information systems which can be seamlessly integrated with the conventional semiconductor electronic devices within the 3D monolithically integrated hybrid classical-quantum devices. Diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center defects are the representative examples, but the controlled positioning of an NV center within bulk diamond is an outstanding challenge. Furthermore, quantum defect properties may not be easily tuned for bulk crystalline quantum defects. In comparison, 2D semiconductors, such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), are promising solid platform to host a quantum defect with tunable properties and a possibility of position control. Here, we computationally discover a promising defect family for spin qubit realization in 2D TMDs. The defects consist of transition metal atoms substituted at chalcogen sites with desirable spin-triplet ground state, zero-field splitting in the tens of GHz, and strong zero-phonon coupling to optical transitions in the highly desirable telecom band.

Direct Determination of Band Gap of Defects in a Wide Band Gap Semiconductor

Crystal defects play an important role in the degradation and failure of semiconductor materials and devices. Direct determination of band gap of defects is a critical step for clarifying how the defects affect the physical properties of semiconductors. Here, high-quality aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films were grown epitaxially on single-crystal Al₂O₃ substrates via pulsed laser deposition. The atomic structure and band gap of three types of inversion domain boundaries (IDBs) in AlN were determined using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy and atomic-resolution valence electron energy-loss spectroscopy. It was found that the band gap of all of the IDBs reduces evidently compared to that of the bulk AlN. The maximum band gap reduction of the IDBs is 1.0 eV. First-principles calculations revealed that the band gap reduction of the IDBs is mainly due to the rise of p_z orbital at the valence band maximum, which originates from the elongated Al-N bonds along the [0001] direction at the IDBs. The successful band gap determination of defects paves an avenue for quantitatively evaluating the effect of defects on the performance of semiconductor materials and devices.

Optical transient grating pumped X-ray diffraction microscopy for studying mesoscale structural dynamics

A fundamental understanding of materials’ structural dynamics, with fine spatial and temporal control, underpins future developments in electronic and quantum materials. Here, we introduce an optical transient grating pump and focused X-ray diffraction probe technique (TGXD) to examine the structural evolution of materials excited by modulated light with a precisely controlled spatial profile. This method adds spatial resolution and direct structural sensitivity to the established utility of a sinusoidal transient-grating excitation. We demonstrate TGXD using two thin-film samples: epitaxial BiFeO₃, which exhibits a photoinduced strain (structural grating) with an amplitude proportional to the optical fluence, and FeRh, which undergoes a magnetostructural phase transformation. In BiFeO₃, structural relaxation is location independent, and the strain persists on the order of microseconds, consistent with the optical excitation of long-lived charge carriers. The strain profile of the structural grating in FeRh, in comparison, deviates from the sinusoidal excitation and exhibits both higher-order spatial frequencies and a location-dependent relaxation. The focused X-ray probe provides spatial resolution within the engineered optical excitation profile, resolving the spatiotemporal flow of heat through FeRh locally heated above the phase transition temperature. TGXD successfully characterizes mesoscopic energy transport in functional materials without relying on a specific transport model.

Light-Tunable Ferromagnetism in Atomically Thin Fe_{3}GeTe_{2} Driven by Femtosecond Laser Pulse

The recent discovery of intrinsic ferromagnetism in two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) crystals has opened up a new arena for spintronics, raising an opportunity of achieving tunable intrinsic 2D vdW magnetism. Here, we show that the magnetization and the magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) of few-layered Fe_{3}GeTe_{2} (FGT) is strongly modulated by a femtosecond laser pulse. Upon increasing the femtosecond laser excitation intensity, the saturation magnetization increases in an approximately linear way and the coercivity determined by the MAE decreases monotonically, showing unambiguously the effect of the laser pulse on magnetic ordering. This effect observed at room temperature reveals the emergence of light-driven room-temperature (300 K) ferromagnetism in 2D vdW FGT, as its intrinsic Curie temperature T_{C} is ∼200  K. The light-tunable ferromagnetism is attributed to the changes in the electronic structure due to the optical doping effect. Our findings pave a novel way to optically tune 2D vdW magnetism and enhance the T_{C} up to room temperature, promoting spintronic applications at or above room temperature.

Optical Control of a Single Nuclear Spin in the Solid State

We demonstrate a novel method for coherent optical manipulation of individual nuclear spins in the solid state, mediated by the electronic states of a proximal quantum emitter. Specifically, using the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color center in diamond, we demonstrate control of a proximal ^{14}N nuclear spin via an all-optical Raman technique. We evaluate the extent to which the intrinsic physical properties of the NV center limit the performance of coherent control, and we find that it is ultimately constrained by the relative rates of transverse hyperfine coupling and radiative decay in the NV center's excited state. Possible extensions and applications to other color centers are discussed.

Orbital-flop Induced Magnetoresistance Anisotropy in Rare Earth Monopnictide CeSb

The charge and spin of the electrons in solids have been extensively exploited in electronic devices and in the development of spintronics. Another attribute of electrons—their orbital nature—is attracting growing interest for understanding exotic phenomena and in creating the next-generation of quantum devices such as orbital qubits. Here, we report on orbital-flop induced magnetoresistance anisotropy in CeSb. In the low temperature high magnetic-field driven ferromagnetic state, a series of additional minima appear in the angle-dependent magnetoresistance. These minima arise from the anisotropic magnetization originating from orbital-flops and from the enhanced electron scattering from magnetic multidomains formed around the first-order orbital-flop transition. The measured magnetization anisotropy can be accounted for with a phenomenological model involving orbital-flops and a spin-valve-like structure is used to demonstrate the viable utilization of orbital-flop phenomenon. Our results showcase a contribution of orbital behavior in the emergence of intriguing phenomena.

The orbital degree of freedom can be as important as the charge and spin of the electron to the electronic phenomena. Here the authors show additional minimum in the angle-dependent magnetoresistance (MR) for the low temperature high magnetic field driven ferromagnetic state in CeSb which indicates the orbital flop induced MR anisotropy.

A monolithic immersion metalens for imaging solid-state quantum emitters

Quantum emitters such as the diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center are the basis for a wide range of quantum technologies. However, refraction and reflections at material interfaces impede photon collection, and the emitters’ atomic scale necessitates the use of free space optical measurement setups that prevent packaging of quantum devices. To overcome these limitations, we design and fabricate a metasurface composed of nanoscale diamond pillars that acts as an immersion lens to collect and collimate the emission of an individual NV center. The metalens exhibits a numerical aperture greater than 1.0, enabling efficient fiber-coupling of quantum emitters. This flexible design will lead to the miniaturization of quantum devices in a wide range of host materials and the development of metasurfaces that shape single-photon emission for coupling to optical cavities or route photons based on their quantum state.

Photon collection from quantum emitters is difficult, and their scale requires the use of free-space optical measurement setups which prevent packaging of quantum devices. Here, the authors design and fabricate a metasurface that acts as an immersion lens to collect and collimate the emission of an individual emitter.

Magnetic-field-dependent quantum emission in hexagonal boron nitride at room temperature

Optically addressable spins associated with defects in wide-bandgap semiconductors are versatile platforms for quantum information processing and nanoscale sensing, where spin-dependent inter-system crossing transitions facilitate optical spin initialization and readout. Recently, the van der Waals material hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has emerged as a robust host for quantum emitters, promising efficient photon extraction and atom-scale engineering, but observations of spin-related effects have remained thus far elusive. Here, we report room-temperature observations of strongly anisotropic photoluminescence patterns as a function of applied magnetic field for select quantum emitters in h-BN. Field-dependent variations in the steady-state photoluminescence and photon emission statistics are consistent with an electronic model featuring a spin-dependent inter-system crossing between triplet and singlet manifolds, indicating that optically-addressable spin defects are present in h-BN.

Diagrammatic Monte Carlo Approach to Angular Momentum in Quantum Many-Particle Systems

We introduce a diagrammatic Monte Carlo approach to angular momentum properties of quantum many-particle systems possessing a macroscopic number of degrees of freedom. The treatment is based on a diagrammatic expansion that merges the usual Feynman diagrams with the angular momentum diagrams known from atomic and nuclear structure theory, thereby incorporating the non-Abelian algebra inherent to quantum rotations. Our approach is applicable at arbitrary coupling, is free of systematic errors and of finite-size effects, and naturally provides access to the impurity Green function. We exemplify the technique by obtaining an all-coupling solution of the angulon model; however, the method is quite general and can be applied to a broad variety of systems in which particles exchange quantum angular momentum with their many-body environment.

Spin Readout Techniques of the Nitrogen-Vacancy Center in Diamond

The diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center is a leading platform for quantum information science due to its optical addressability and room-temperature spin coherence. However, measurements of the NV center’s spin state typically require averaging over many cycles to overcome noise. Here, we review several approaches to improve the readout performance and highlight future avenues of research that could enable single-shot electron-spin readout at room temperature.

Phonon Networks with Silicon-Vacancy Centers in Diamond Waveguides

We propose and analyze a novel realization of a solid-state quantum network, where separated silicon-vacancy centers are coupled via the phonon modes of a quasi-one-dimensional diamond waveguide. In our approach, quantum states encoded in long-lived electronic spin states can be converted into propagating phonon wave packets and be reabsorbed efficiently by a distant defect center. Our analysis shows that under realistic conditions, this approach enables the implementation of high-fidelity, scalable quantum communication protocols within chip-scale spin-qubit networks. Apart from quantum information processing, this setup constitutes a novel waveguide QED platform, where strong-coupling effects between solid-state defects and individual propagating phonons can be explored at the quantum level.

Orbital State Manipulation of a Diamond Nitrogen-Vacancy Center Using a Mechanical Resonator

We study the resonant optical transitions of a single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center that is coherently dressed by a strong mechanical drive. Using a gigahertz-frequency diamond mechanical resonator that is strain coupled to a NV center's orbital states, we demonstrate coherent Raman sidebands out to the ninth order and orbital-phonon interactions that mix the two excited-state orbital branches. These interactions are spectroscopically revealed through a multiphonon Rabi splitting of the orbital branches which scales as a function of resonator driving amplitude and is successfully reproduced in a quantum model. Finally, we discuss the application of mechanical driving to engineering NV-center orbital states.

Transfer of Phase Information between Microwave and Optical Fields via an Electron Spin

We demonstrate the coherent coupling and the resulting transfer of phase information between microwave and optical fields in a single nitrogen vacancy center in diamond. The relative phase of two microwave fields is encoded in a coherent superposition spin state. This phase information is then retrieved with a pair of optical fields. A related process is also used for the transfer of phase information from optical to microwave fields. These studies show the essential role of dark states, including optical pumping into the dark states, in the coherent microwave-optical coupling and open the door to the full quantum state transfer between microwave and optical fields in a solid-state spin ensemble.

Jahn-Teller-induced femtosecond electronic depolarization dynamics of the nitrogen-vacancy defect in diamond

Single-photon emission from the nitrogen-vacancy defect in diamond constitutes one of its many proposed applications. Owing to its doubly degenerate ³E electronic excited state, photons from this defect can be emitted by two optical transitions with perpendicular polarization. Previous measurements have indicated that orbital-selective photoexcitation does not, however, yield photoluminescence with well-defined polarizations, thus hinting at orbital-averaging dynamics even at cryogenic temperatures. Here we employ femtosecond polarization anisotropy spectroscopy to investigate the ultrafast electronic dynamics of the ³E state. We observe subpicosecond electronic dephasing dynamics even at cryogenic temperatures, up to five orders of magnitude faster than dephasing rates suggested by previous frequency- and time-domain measurements. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations assign the ultrafast depolarization dynamics to nonadiabatic transitions and phonon-induced electronic dephasing between the two components of the ³E state. Our results provide an explanation for the ultrafast orbital averaging that exists even at cryogenic temperatures.

Understanding ultrafast dynamics of excited states of nitrogen-vacancy helps its manipulation for technological applications. Here the authors use polarization anisotropy spectroscopy and molecular dynamics to investigate sub-picosecond dephasing dynamics, identifying the origin of orbital averaging effects.

Ultrafast all-optical coherent control of single silicon vacancy colour centres in diamond

Complete control of the state of a quantum bit (qubit) is a fundamental requirement for any quantum information processing (QIP) system. In this context, all-optical control techniques offer the advantage of a well-localized and potentially ultrafast manipulation of individual qubits in multi-qubit systems. Recently, the negatively charged silicon vacancy centre (SiV⁻) in diamond has emerged as a novel promising system for QIP due to its superior spectral properties and advantageous electronic structure, offering an optically accessible Λ-type level system with large orbital splittings. Here, we report on all-optical resonant as well as Raman-based coherent control of a single SiV⁻ using ultrafast pulses as short as 1 ps, significantly faster than the centre's phonon-limited ground state coherence time of about 40 ns. These measurements prove the accessibility of a complete set of single-qubit operations relying solely on optical fields and pave the way for high-speed QIP applications using SiV⁻ centres.

All-optical coherent control schemes offer well-localized and ultrafast control of individual qubits in many-qubit systems. Here the authors report on all-optical resonant and Raman-based control of single silicon vacancies using picosecond pulses, much faster than the ground state coherence time.

Optical Coherence in Atomic-Monolayer Transition-Metal Dichalcogenides Limited by Electron-Phonon Interactions

We systematically investigate the excitonic dephasing of three representative transition-metal dichalcogenides, namely, MoS_{2}, MoSe_{2}, and WSe_{2} atomic monolayer thick and bulk crystals, in order to gain a proper understanding of the factors that determine the optical coherence in these materials. Coherent nonlinear optical spectroscopy and temperature dependent absorption, combined with theoretical calculations of the phonon spectra, indicate electron-phonon interactions, to be the limiting factor. Surprisingly, the excitonic dephasing, differs only slightly between atomic monolayers and high quality bulk crystals, which indicates that material imperfections are not the limiting factor in atomically thin monolayer samples. The temperature dependence of the electronic band gap and the excitonic linewidth combined with "ab initio" calculations of the phonon energies and the phonon density of states reveal a strong interaction with the E' and E" phonon modes.

Coherence and organisation in lanthanoid complexes: from single ion magnets to spin qubits

Molecular magnetism is reaching a degree of development that will allow for the rational design of sophisticated systems.

High-efficiency resonant amplification of weak magnetic fields for single spin magnetometry at room temperature

Magnetic resonance techniques not only provide powerful imaging tools that have revolutionized medicine, but they have a wide spectrum of applications in other fields of science such as biology, chemistry, neuroscience and physics. However, current state-of-the-art magnetometers are unable to detect a single nuclear spin unless the tip-to-sample separation is made sufficiently small. Here, we demonstrate theoretically that by placing a ferromagnetic particle between a nitrogen-vacancy magnetometer and a target spin, the magnetometer sensitivity is improved dramatically. Using materials and techniques that are already experimentally available, our proposed set-up is sensitive enough to detect a single nuclear spin within ten milliseconds of data acquisition at room temperature. The sensitivity is practically unchanged when the ferromagnet surface to the target spin separation is smaller than the ferromagnet lateral dimensions; typically about a tenth of a micrometre. This scheme further benefits when used for nitrogen-vacancy ensemble measurements, enhancing sensitivity by an additional three orders of magnitude.

Phonon-induced population dynamics and intersystem crossing in nitrogen-vacancy centers

We report direct measurement of population dynamics in the excited state manifold of a nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond. We quantify the phonon-induced mixing rate and demonstrate that it can be completely suppressed at low temperatures. Further, we measure the intersystem crossing (ISC) rate for different excited states and develop a theoretical model that unifies the phonon-induced mixing and ISC mechanisms. We find that our model is in excellent agreement with experiment and that it can be used to predict unknown elements of the NV center's electronic structure. We discuss the model's implications for enhancing the NV center's performance as a room-temperature sensor.

Magnetic reversal dynamics of a quantum system on a picosecond timescale

We present our approach for a consistent, fully quantum mechanical description of the magnetization reversal process in natural and artificial atomic systems by means of short magnetic pulses. In terms of the simplest model of a two-level system with a magnetic moment, we analyze the possibility of a fast magnetization reversal on the picosecond timescale induced by oscillating or short unipolar magnetic pulses. We demonstrate the possibility of selective magnetization reversal of a superconducting flux qubit using a single flux quantum-based pulse and suggest a promising, rapid Λ-scheme for resonant implementation of this process. In addition, the magnetization reversal treatment is fulfilled within the framework of the macroscopic theory of the magnetic moment, which allows for the comparison and explanation of the quantum and classical behavior.

All-optical initialization, readout, and coherent preparation of single silicon-vacancy spins in diamond

The silicon-vacancy (SiV-) color center in diamond has attracted attention because of its unique optical properties. It exhibits spectral stability and indistinguishability that facilitate efficient generation of photons capable of demonstrating quantum interference. Here we show optical initialization and readout of electronic spin in a single SiV- center with a spin relaxation time of T1=2.4±0.2  ms. Coherent population trapping (CPT) is used to demonstrate coherent preparation of dark superposition states with a spin coherence time of T2⋆=35±3  ns. This is fundamentally limited by orbital relaxation, and an understanding of this process opens the way to extend coherence by engineering interactions with phonons. Hyperfine structure is observed in CPT measurements with the 29Si isotope which allows access to nuclear spin. These results establish the SiV- center as a solid-state spin-photon interface.