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Spin Coherence during Optical Excitation of a Single Nitrogen-Vacancy Center in Diamond

TitleSpin Coherence during Optical Excitation of a Single Nitrogen-Vacancy Center in Diamond
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2012
AuthorsFuchs GD, Falk AL, Dobrovitski VV, Awschalom DD
Journal TitlePhysical Review Letters
Volume108
Pages157602
Date Published04
Type of ArticleArticle
ISBN Number0031-9007
Accession NumberWOS:000302703600009
Keywordsquantum, qubit, solid-state spin
Abstract

We examine the quantum spin state of a single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond at room temperature as it makes a transition from the orbital ground state (GS) to the orbital excited state (ES) during nonresonant optical excitation. While the fluorescence readout of NV-center spins relies on conservation of the longitudinal spin projection during optical excitation, the question of quantum phase preservation has not been examined. Using Ramsey measurements and quantum process tomography of the optical excitation process, we measure a trace fidelity of F = 0.87 +/- 0.03, which includes ES spin dephasing during measurement. Extrapolation to the moment of optical excitation yields F approximate to 0.95. This result provides insight into the interaction between spin coherence and nonresonant optical absorption through a vibronic sideband.
URL<Go to ISI>://WOS:000302703600009
DOI10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.157602
Alternate JournalPhys. Rev. Lett.