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SBMO/IEEE MTT-S International Microwave and Optoelectronics Conference (IMOC)

Directional Emission Enhancement of NV Centers in Diamond via Bullseye Nanoantenna Design

Leonardo R. Ramos, Henrique W. Moscoso, Vinícius M. Pepino, Ben‐Hur V. Borges, Achiles F. da Mota

Published Nov 9, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond have emerged in recent years as a leading platform for high-sensitivity microwave sensing, due to their spin-dependent optical response and stability at room temperature. In this work, we propose a hybrid modeling approach that combines Lindblad-based quantum dynamics with classical electromagnetic simulations to study and improve the emission behavior of NV centers under coherent optical excitation. A three-level open quantum system is used to describe the NV dynamics under green laser excitation, with a Rabi frequency of$\Omega_{12}=7.24\Gamma_{13}$. To enhance photon extraction, we design a dielectric bullseye nanoantenna that reshapes the emission pattern and increases the radiated power by over 100 times. This combined approach offers a practical route for optimizing NV-based emitters in microwave quantum sensing for telecommunications application.

DOI
10.1109/imoc65414.2025.11365764

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Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond have emerged in recent years as a leading platform for high-sensitivity microwave sensing, due to their spin-dependent optical response and stability at room temperature. In this work, we propose a hybrid modeling approach that combines Lindblad-based quantum dynamics with classical electromagnetic simulations to study and improve the emission behavior of NV centers under coherent optical excitation. A three-level open quantum system is used to describe the NV dynamics under green laser excitation, with a Rabi frequency ofΩ12=7.24Γ13\Omega_{12}=7.24\Gamma_{13}Ω12​=7.24Γ13​. To enhance photon extraction, we design a dielectric bullseye nanoantenna that reshapes the emission pattern and increases the radiated power by over 100 times. This combined approach offers a practical route for optimizing NV-based emitters in microwave quantum sensing for telecommunications application.
Efficient readout of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamonds is crucial for various quantum information technologies. However, achieving high-fidelity, single-shot readout at room temperature remains challenging due to limited photon collection efficiency (CE) and background noise. In this work, we enhance the readout efficiency of NV centers by integrating them into hybrid metal–dielectric bullseye nanoantennas using ultra-precise deterministic positioning. This approach enables highly directional emission while minimizing optical losses, resulting in a measured CE of ∼80% at a numerical aperture (NA) as low as 0.5 and approaching unity for NA > 0.8. This marks a substantial improvement over previous realizations using nanodiamonds, by combining hybrid nanoantennas with precise positioning. Our results mark a substantial advancement toward efficient single-shot readout of NV centers by significantly improving readout fidelity and efficiency in a simple on-chip configuration.
Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in single-crystal CVD diamond are promising candidates for quantum sensing due to their remarkable optical and spin properties [1]. These defects exhibit stable photoluminescence (PL), long spin coherence times, and high sensitivity to external fields [2]. In this study, we present a room-temperature PL characterization of NV centers excited with a 532 nm laser. The setup was optimized for high signal-to-noise ratio and spectral resolution. Key parameters analyzed include emission intensity, zero-phonon line (ZPL) at ~637 nm, phonon sidebands, and the charge state distribution between NV⁰ and NV⁻. The NV⁻ state, crucial for spin-based sensing, is evaluated to understand its stability under different nitrogen doping conditions [3]. The relative intensities of NV⁰ and NV⁻ provide insights into nitrogen incorporation and vacancy formation. These results contribute to optimizing synthesis conditions for enhanced NV⁻ concentration, supporting the advancement of diamond-based quantum sensing technologies.
Diamond quantum technologies based on color centers have rapidly emerged in the most recent years. The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color center has attracted a particular interest, thanks to its outstanding spin properties and optical addressability. The NV center has been used to realize innovative multimode quantum-enhanced sensors that offer an unprecedented combination of high sensitivity and spatial resolution at room temperature. The technological progress and the widening of potential sensing applications have induced an increasing demand for performance advances of NV quantum sensors. Quantum control plays a key role in responding to this demand. This short review affords an overview on recent advances in quantum control-assisted quantum sensing and spectroscopy of magnetic fields.
Individual nitrogen vacancy (NV) color centers in diamond are versatile, spin-based quantum sensors. Coherently controlling the spin of NV centers using microwaves in a typical frequency range between 2.5 and 3.5 GHz is necessary for sensing applications. In this work, we present a stripline-based, planar, Ω-shaped microwave antenna that enables one to reliably manipulate NV spins. We found an optimal antenna design using finite integral simulations. We fabricated our antennas on low-cost, transparent glass substrate. We created highly uniform microwave fields in areas of roughly 400 × 400 μm2 while realizing high Rabi frequencies of up to 10 MHz in an ensemble of NV centers.
Nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond allow coherent spin state manipulation and optical readout at room temperature, which has powerful applications in nanoscale sensing. Nanophotonic structures such as plasmonic waveguides, nanoantennae, metamaterials, and metasurfaces can enhance the detected fluorescence rate from such broadband emitters. The fluorescence of the coupled emitter is directed into confined plasmonic modes with high photonic density of states. However, an accurate spin readout requires both high photon counts and a strong contrast between the spin states, both of which can be influenced by the Purcell effect. We introduce a novel method for measuring the spin contrast in large nitrogen-vacancy ensembles. We use this method to study how the photonic density of states must be engineered in order to minimize the uncertainty of spin readout in dense NV ensembles. We describe these results using a kinetic model of the nitrogen-vacancy’s internal dynamics.
Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color centers in diamond have emerged as promising quantum solid-state systems, with applications ranging from quantum information processing to magnetic sensing. One of the most useful properties of NVs is the ability to read their ground-state spin projection optically at room temperature. Using theoretical analysis of Purcell-enhanced NV optical coupling, we identify parameters for a significantly enhanced single-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the optical spin-state readout. We then demonstrate that a combined increase in spontaneous emission (through Purcell enhancement) and in optical excitation could significantly increase the readout SNR. Our combined analytical and numerical analysis, which is relevant for various optically active solid-state systems, differentiates between state-mixing processes and provides insights into the optimal light-matter coupling design.