arXiv:1202.3472 · Physical Review Letters
Measurable Quantum Geometric Phase from a Rotating Single Spin
Dougal Maclaurin, Marcus W. Doherty, Lloyd C. L. Hollenberg, A. Martin
Abstract
We demonstrate that the internal magnetic states of a single nitrogen-vacancy defect, within a rotating diamond crystal, acquire geometric phases. The geometric phase shift is manifest as a relative phase between components of a superposition of magnetic substates. We demonstrate that under reasonable experimental conditions a phase shift of up to four radians could be measured. Such a measurement of the accumulation of a geometric phase, due to macroscopic rotation, would be the first for a single atom-scale quantum system.