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Scientific Reports

Electron spin manipulation and readout through an optical fiber

И. В. Федотов, Lyubov V. Amitonova, Alexander A. Voronin, A. O. Levchenko, Sergei A. Zibrov, Dmitry A. Sidorov-Biryukov, Andrei B. Fedotov, Vladimir L Velichansky, Aleksei M. Zheltikov

Published Jul 16, 2014• 65 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The electron spin of nitrogen--vacancy (NV) centers in diamond offers a solid-state quantum bit and enables high-precision magnetic-field sensing on the nanoscale. Implementation of these approaches in a fiber format would offer unique opportunities for a broad range of technologies ranging from quantum information to neuroscience and bioimaging. Here, we demonstrate an ultracompact fiber-optic probe where a diamond microcrystal with a well-defined orientation of spin quantization NV axes is attached to the fiber tip, allowing the electron spins of NV centers to be manipulated, polarized, and read out through a fiber-optic waveguide integrated with a two-wire microwave transmission line. The microwave field transmitted through this line is used to manipulate the orientation of electron spins in NV centers through the electron-spin resonance tuned by an external magnetic field. The electron spin is then optically initialized and read out, with the initializing laser radiation and the photoluminescence spin-readout return from NV centers delivered by the same optical fiber.

DOI
10.1038/srep05362

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The electron spin of nitrogen--vacancy (NV) centers in diamond offers a solid-state quantum bit and enables high-precision magnetic-field sensing on the nanoscale. Implementation of these approaches in a fiber format would offer unique opportunities for a broad range of technologies ranging from quantum information to neuroscience and bioimaging. Here, we demonstrate an ultracompact fiber-optic probe where a diamond microcrystal with a well-defined orientation of spin quantization NV axes is attached to the fiber tip, allowing the electron spins of NV centers to be manipulated, polarized, and read out through a fiber-optic waveguide integrated with a two-wire microwave transmission line. The microwave field transmitted through this line is used to manipulate the orientation of electron spins in NV centers through the electron-spin resonance tuned by an external magnetic field. The electron spin is then optically initialized and read out, with the initializing laser radiation and the photoluminescence spin-readout return from NV centers delivered by the same optical fiber.
We employ an optical fiber doped with randomly oriented fluorescent sub-micron diamonds and what we believe to be the novel zero-field resonance protocol to collect information on the localization and orientation of a magnetic-field source and its distribution. Many previous demonstrations of diamond-based magnetic field sensing achieved ultrahigh sensitivities down to the fT range warranted by manipulating spin states of the diamond nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers with externally applied radio or microwaves. The application of such oscillating fields is problematic in distributed magnetic-field measurements and may be incompatible with specific targets. Instead of relying on these approaches, we leveraged cross-relaxations of particular spin-state populations of the NV center under a magnetic field, thus observing zero-field resonances and making external radio frequency fields redundant. Combined with an optical fiber sensitive to the magnetic field along its entire length, remote sensing was realized that returned information on the spatial field distribution without using any moving mechanical elements in the detection system. Variation of the spatial parameters of the investigated field was achieved simply by controlling the current in a pair of induction coils easily integrable with optical fibers without limiting the fiber-specific functionality of the optical readout taking place at a fixed location at the optical fiber output. Lifting of the requirements related to the mechanical scanning of the fiber, the application of external fields, and the orientation of the NV centers against the measured field mark a very practical step forward in optically driven magnetic field sensing, not easily achievable with earlier implementations.
We employ an optical fiber doped with randomly oriented fluorescent sub-micron diamonds and the novel zero-field resonance protocol to collect information on the localization and orientation of a magnetic-field source and its distribution. Many previous demonstrations of diamond-based magnetic field sensing achieved ultrahigh sensitivities down to the fT range warranted by manipulating spin states of the diamond nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers with externally applied radio or microwaves. The application of such oscillating fields is problematic in distributed magnetic-field measurements and may be incompatible with specific targets. Instead of relying on these approaches, we leveraged cross-relaxations of particular spin-state populations of the NV center under a magnetic field, thus observing zero-field resonances and making external radio frequency fields redundant. Combined with an optical fiber sensitive to the magnetic field along its entire length, remote sensing was realized that returned information on the spatial field distribution without using any moving mechanical elements in the detection system. Variation of the spatial parameters of the investigated field was achieved simply by controlling the current in a pair of induction coils easily integrable with optical fibers without limiting the fiber-specific functionality of the optical readout taking place at a fixed location at the optical fiber output. Lifting of the requirements related to the mechanical scanning of the fiber, the application of external fields, and the orientation of the NV centers against the measured field mark a very practical step forward in optically driven magnetic field sensing, not easily achievable with earlier implementations.
The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond is a prime candidate for quantum sensing technologies. Here, we present a fully integrated and mechanically robust fiber-based endoscopic sensor with a tip diameter of 1.25 mm . On its tip, a direct laser-writing process is used to secure a diamond containing NV centers above the fiber’s core inside a polymer structure. Additionally, a metallic direct laser-written antenna structure next to the fiber facet allows efficient microwave manipulation of NV-center spins. The sensor achieves a shot-noise-limited magnetic-field sensitivity of 5.9 nT / Hz using a 15 − μ m -sized microdiamond at a microwave power of 50 mW and an optical power of 2.15 mW . Using lock-in techniques, we measure a sensitivity of 51.8 nT / Hz . Furthermore, we introduce a dual-fiber concept that enables, in combination with a direct laser-written structure, independent guiding of excitation and fluorescence light and thus reduces background autofluorescence. Moreover, controlled guiding of excitation light to the diamond while avoiding sample illumination may enable operation in light-sensitive environments such as biological tissue. While the demonstrated sensitivity is achieved using a single-fiber configuration, the dual-fiber approach provides a path toward integrating smaller diamonds, where autofluorescence would otherwise limit performance. We demonstrate the capability of vector magnetic-field measurements in the type of magnetic field used in state-of-the-art ultracold quantum gas experiments, opening a potential arena in which high resolution and high sensitivity are required.
Point defects in diamond, also known as color centers, offer unique possibilities for solid-state quantum magnetometry. Here, we demonstrate and explore quantum spin mixing and optical readout of nitrogen vacancy diamond quantum states with a portable, educational toolkit from Quantum Education Initiative. Visible light photons electronically excite NV centers, upon which their integrated photoluminescence is measured through a free-space photodetector. With household magnets, changes in photoluminescence are correlated with changes in the NV electrons magnetic spin state to intuitively understand optical initialization and readout of an NV ensemble. As a continuous wave laser is used for excitation, we do not demonstrate the trivial procedure for optical readout for quantum gates. Rather, we employ a magnet with a non-zero transverse field component to induce steady-state spin mixing, allowing us to observe decreases in photoluminescence due to occupation of the m s =±1 sublevels.