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arXiv:1603.01602 · Physical Review X

Robust Quantum-Network Memory Using Decoherence-Protected Subspaces of Nuclear Spins

Andreas Reiserer, Norbert Kalb, Machiel Blok, Koen J. M. van Bemmelen, T. H. Taminiau, Ronald Hanson, Daniel J. Twitchen, Matthew Markham

Published Jun 22, 2016• 159 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The realization of a network of quantum registers is an outstanding challenge in quantum science and technology.We experimentally investigate a network node that consists of a single nitrogen-vacancy center electronic spin hyperfine coupled to nearby nuclear spins.We demonstrate individual control and readout of five nuclear spin qubits within one node.We then characterize the storage of quantum superpositions in individual nuclear spins under repeated application of a probabilistic optical internode entangling protocol.We find that the storage fidelity is limited by dephasing during the electronic spin reset after failed attempts.By encoding quantum states into a decoherence-protected subspace of two nuclear spins, we show that quantum coherence can be maintained for over 1000 repetitions of the remote entangling protocol.These results and insights pave the way towards remote entanglement purification and the realization of a quantum repeater using nitrogen-vacancy center quantum-network nodes.

DOI
10.1103/physrevx.6.021040

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The realization of a network of quantum registers is an outstanding challenge in quantum science and technology.We experimentally investigate a network node that consists of a single nitrogen-vacancy center electronic spin hyperfine coupled to nearby nuclear spins.We demonstrate individual control and readout of five nuclear spin qubits within one node.We then characterize the storage of quantum superpositions in individual nuclear spins under repeated application of a probabilistic optical internode entangling protocol.We find that the storage fidelity is limited by dephasing during the electronic spin reset after failed attempts.By encoding quantum states into a decoherence-protected subspace of two nuclear spins, we show that quantum coherence can be maintained for over 1000 repetitions of the remote entangling protocol.These results and insights pave the way towards remote entanglement purification and the realization of a quantum repeater using nitrogen-vacancy center quantum-network nodes.
The realization of a network of quantum registers is an outstanding challenge in quantum science and technology.We experimentally investigate a network node that consists of a single nitrogen-vacancy center electronic spin hyperfine coupled to nearby nuclear spins.We demonstrate individual control and readout of five nuclear spin qubits within one node.We then characterize the storage of quantum superpositions in individual nuclear spins under repeated application of a probabilistic optical internode entangling protocol.We find that the storage fidelity is limited by dephasing during the electronic spin reset after failed attempts.By encoding quantum states into a decoherence-protected subspace of two nuclear spins, we show that quantum coherence can be maintained for over 1000 repetitions of the remote entangling protocol.These results and insights pave the way towards remote entanglement purification and the realization of a quantum repeater using nitrogen-vacancy center quantum-network nodes.
Single defect centers in diamond have emerged as a powerful platform for quantum optics experiments and quantum information processing tasks. Connecting spatially separated nodes via optical photons into a quantum network will enable distributed quantum computing and long-range quantum communication. Initial experiments on trapped atoms and ions as well as defects in diamond have demonstrated entanglement between two nodes over several meters. To realize multi-node networks, additional quantum bit systems that store quantum states while new entanglement links are established are highly desirable. Such memories allow for entanglement distillation, purification and quantum repeater protocols that extend the size, speed and distance of the network. However, to be effective, the memory must be robust against the entanglement generation protocol, which typically must be repeated many times. Here we evaluate the prospects of using carbon nuclear spins in diamond as quantum memories that are compatible with quantum networks based on single nitrogen vacancy (NV) defects in diamond. We present a theoretical framework to describe the dephasing of the nuclear spins under repeated generation of NV spin-photon entanglement and show that quantum states can be stored during hundreds of repetitions using typical experimental coupling parameters. This result demonstrates that nuclear spins with weak hyperfine couplings are promising quantum memories for quantum networks.
Quantum networks will enable the transmission of quantum information over long distances, allowing us to link quantum computers for applications such as quantum cryptography, astronomical interferometry, and blind quantum computing. The silicon-vacancy center in diamond has emerged as a promising scalable solid-state platform capable of efficiently interfacing its electron spin with photons for long-range communication. This thesis investigates two long-lived nuclear spin qubits as quantum memories to significantly expand the quantum state storage and processing capabilities of this networking node. First, we demonstrate that selective isotope implantation gives a deterministic 29Si high-fidelity nuclear memory with coherence times over two seconds, enabling its integration into a two-node quantum network through 35 km of optical fiber deployed through the Boston metropolitan area. Next, we explore the control of a nearby 13C nuclear spin robust against repeated readouts and resets of the electron networking qubit, and utilize it to show a quadratic rate enhancement for entanglement swapping between two incoming photonic qubits. Together, these results advance our three-qubit node toward realistic operation as a quantum repeater to boost entanglement rates in a long-range network.
The electron spin of a nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond lends itself to the control of proximal 13C^{13}\mathrm{C}13C nuclear spins via dynamical decoupling methods, possibly combined with radio-frequency driving. Long-lived single-qubit states and high-fidelity electron-nuclear gates required for the realization of a multiqubit register have already been demonstrated. Towards the goal of a scalable architecture, linking multiple such registers in a photonic network represents an important step. Multiple pairs of remotely entangled qubits can enable advanced algorithms or error correction protocols. We investigate how a photonic architecture can be extended from the intrinsic nitrogen spin to multiple 13C^{13}\mathrm{C}13C spins per node. Applying decoherence-protected gates sequentially, we simulate the fidelity of creating multiple pairs of remotely entangled qubits. Even though the currently achieved degree of control of 13C^{13}\mathrm{C}13C spins might not be sufficient for large-scale devices, the two schemes are compatible in principle. One requirement is the correction of unconditional phases acquired by unaddressed nuclear spins during a decoupling sequence.
The key challenge in experimental quantum information science is to identify isolated quantum mechanical systems with long coherence times that can be manipulated and coupled together in a scalable fashion. We describe the coherent manipulation of an individual electron spin and nearby individual nuclear spins to create a controllable quantum register. Using optical and microwave radiation to control an electron spin associated with the nitrogen vacancy (NV) color center in diamond, we demonstrated robust initialization of electron and nuclear spin quantum bits (qubits) and transfer of arbitrary quantum states between them at room temperature. Moreover, nuclear spin qubits could be well isolated from the electron spin, even during optical polarization and measurement of the electronic state. Finally, coherent interactions between individual nuclear spin qubits were observed and their excellent coherence properties were demonstrated. These registers can be used as a basis for scalable, optically coupled quantum information systems.
We probe dephasing mechanisms within a quantum network node consisting of a single nitrogen-vacancy center electron spin that is hyperfine coupled to surrounding 13C^{13}\mathrm{C}13C nuclear-spin quantum memories. Previous studies have analyzed memory dephasing caused by the stochastic electron-spin reset process, which is a component of optical internode entangling protocols. Here, we find, by using dynamical decoupling techniques and exploiting phase matching conditions in the electron-nuclear dynamics, that control infidelities and quasistatic noise are the major contributors to memory dephasing induced by the entangling sequence. These insights enable us to demonstrate a 19-fold improved memory performance which is still not limited by the electron reinitialization process. We further perform pump-probe studies to investigate the spin-flip channels during the optical electron spin reset. We find that spin flips occur via decay from the metastable singlet states with a branching ratio of 8(1):1:1, in contrast with previous work. These results allow us to formulate straightforward improvements to diamond-based quantum networks and similar architectures.