arXiv subjects

Fazhan Shi

Publications and source records attributed to Fazhan Shi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

Excited-state spectroscopy of spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride

We used optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) technique to directly probe electron-spin resonance transitions in the excited state of negatively-charged boron vacancy (VB-) defects in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) at room temperature. The data showed that the excited state has a zero-field splitting of ~ 2.1 GHz, a g factor similar to the ground state and two types of hyperfine splitting ~ 90 MHz and ~ 18.8 MHz respectively. Pulsed ODMR experiments were conducted to further verify observed resonant peaks corresponding to spin transitions in the excited state. In addition, negative peaks in photoluminescence and ODMR contrast as a function of magnetic field magnitude and angle at level anti-crossing were observed and explained by coherent spin precession and anisotropic relaxation. This work provided significant insights for studying the structure of VB- excited states, which might be used for quantum information processing and nanoscale quantum sensing.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Identity Test of Single NV$^-$ Centers in Diamond at Hz-Precision Level

Atomic-like defects in solids are not considered to be identical owing to the imperfections of host lattice. Here, we found that even under ambient conditions, negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV$^-$) centers in diamond could still manifest identical at Hz-precision level, corresponding to a 10$^{-7}$-level relative precision, while the lattice strain can destroy the identity by tens of Hz. All parameters involved in the NV$^-$-$^{14}$N Hamiltonian are determined by formulating six nuclear frequencies at 10-mHz-level precision and measuring them at Hz-level precision. The most precisely measured parameter, the $^{14}$N quadrupole coupling $P$, is given by -4945754.9(8) Hz, whose precision is improved by nearly four orders of magnitude compared with previous measurements. We offer an approach for performing precision measurements in solids and deepening our understandings of NV centers as well as other solid-state defects. Besides, these high-precision results imply a potential application of a robust and integrated atomic-like clock based on ensemble NV centers.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Beating the Standard Quantum Limit under Ambient Conditions with Solid-State Spins

Precision measurement plays a crucial role in all fields of science. The use of entangled sensors in quantum metrology improves the precision limit from the standard quantum limit (SQL) to the Heisenberg limit (HL). To date, most experiments beating the SQL are performed on the sensors which are well isolated under extreme conditions. However, it has not been realized in solid-state spin systems at ambient conditions, owing to its intrinsic complexity for the preparation and survival of pure and entangled quantum states. Here we show a full interferometer sequence beating the SQL by employing a hybrid multi-spin system, namely the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) defect in diamond. The interferometer sequence starts from a deterministic and joint initialization, undergoes entanglement and disentanglement of multiple spins, and ends up with projective measurement. In particular, the deterministic and joint initialization of NV negative state, NV electron spin, and two nuclear spins is realized at room temperature for the first time. By means of optimal control, non-local gates are implemented with an estimated fidelity above the threshold for fault-tolerant quantum computation. With these techniques combined, we achieve two-spin interference with a phase sensitivity of 1.79 \pm 0.06 dB beyond the SQL and three-spin 2.77 \pm 0.10 dB. Moreover, the deviations from the HL induced by experimental imperfections are completely accountable. The techniques used here are of fundamental importance for quantum sensing and computing, and naturally applicable to other solid-state spin systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Robust All-Optical Single-Shot Readout of NV Centers in Diamond

High-fidelity projective readout of a qubit's state in a single experimental repetition is a prerequisite for various quantum protocols of sensing and computing. Achieving single-shot readout is challenging for solid-state qubits. For Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centers in diamond, it has been realized using nuclear memories or resonant excitation at cryogenic temperature. All of these existing approaches have stringent experimental demands. In particular, they require a high efficiency of photon collection, such as immersion optics or all-diamond micro-optics. For some of the most relevant applications, such as shallow implanted NV centers in a cryogenic environment, these tools are unavailable. Here we demonstrate an all-optical spin readout scheme that achieves single-shot fidelity even if photon collection is poor (delivering less than 10$^3$ clicks/second). The scheme is based on spin-dependent resonant excitation at cryogenic temperature combined with spin-to-charge conversion, mapping the fragile electron spin states to the stable charge states. We prove this technique to work on shallow implanted NV centers as they are required for sensing and scalable NV-based quantum registers.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Experimental study of quantum coherence decomposition and trade-off relations in a tripartite system

Quantum coherence is the most fundamental of all quantum quantifiers, underlying other well-known quantities such as entanglement, quantum discord, and Bell correlations. It can be distributed in a multipartite system in various ways -- for example, in a bipartite system it can exist within subsystems (local coherence) or collectively between the subsystems (global coherence) and exhibits a trade-off relation. In quantum systems with more than two subsystems, there are more trade-off relations, due to the various decomposition ways of the coherence. In this paper, we experimentally verify these coherence trade-off relations in adiabatically evolved quantum systems using a spin system by changing the state from a product state to a tripartite entangled state. We study the full set of coherence trade-off relations between the original state, the bipartite product state, the tripartite product state, and the decohered product state. We also experimentally verify the monogamy inequality and show that both the quantum systems are polygamous except for the initial product state. We find that despite the different types of states involved, the properties of the state in terms of coherence and monogamy are equivalent. This illustrates the utility of using coherence as a characterization tool for quantum states.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Parallel optically detected magnetic resonance spectrometer for dozens of single nitrogen-vacancy centers using laser-spot lattice

We develop a parallel optically detected magnetic resonance (PODMR) spectrometer to address, manipulate and read out an array of single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond in parallel. In this spectrometer, we use an array of micro-lens to generate 20 * 20 laser-spot lattice (LSL) on the objective focal plane, and then align the LSL with an array of single NV centers. The quantum states of NV centers are manipulated by a uniform microwave field from a Ω-shape coplanar coil. As an experimental demonstration, we observe 80 NV centers in the field of view. Among them, magnetic resonance (MR) spectrums and Rabi oscillations of 18 NV centers along the external magnetic field are measured in parallel. These results can be directly used to realize parallel quantum sensing and multiple times speedup compared with the confocal technique. Regarding the nanoscale MR technique, PODMR will be crucial for high throughput single molecular MR spectrum and imaging.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2020

High-fidelity single-shot readout of single electron spin in diamond with spin-to-charge conversion

High fidelity single-shot readout of qubits is a crucial component for fault-tolerant quantum computing and scalable quantum networks. In recent years, the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond has risen as a leading platform for the above applications. The current single-shot readout of the NV electron spin relies on resonance fluorescence method at cryogenic temperature. However, the the spin-flip process interrupts the optical cycling transition, therefore, limits the readout fidelity. Here, we introduce a spin-to-charge conversion method assisted by near-infrared (NIR) light to suppress the spin-flip error. This method leverages high spin-selectivity of cryogenic resonance excitation and high flexibility of photonionization. We achieve an overall fidelity $>$ 95% for the single-shot readout of an NV center electron spin in the presence of high strain and fast spin-flip process. With further improvements, this technique has the potential to achieve spin readout fidelity exceeding the fault-tolerant threshold, and may also find applications on integrated optoelectronic devices.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Super-resolution Localization of Nitrogen Vacancy Centers in Diamond with Quantum Controlled Photoswitching

We demonstrate the super-resolution localization of the nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond by a novel fluorescence photoswitching technique based on coherent quantum control. The photoswitching is realized by the quantum phase encoding based on pulsed magnetic field gradient. Then we perform super-resolution imaging and achieve a localizing accuracy better than 1.4 nm under a scanning confocal microscope. Finally, we show that the quantum phase encoding plays a dominant role on the resolution, and a resolution of 0.15 nm is achievable under our current experimental condition. This method can be applied in subnanometer scale addressing and control of qubits based on multiple coupled defect spins.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Kilohertz electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of single nitrogen centers at zero magnetic field

Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) is among the most important analytical tools in physics, chemistry, and biology. The emergence of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond, serving as an atomic-sized magnetometer, has promoted this technique to single-spin level, even under ambient conditions. Despite the enormous progress in spatial resolution, the current megahertz spectral resolution is still insufficient to resolve key heterogeneous molecular information. A major challenge is the short coherence times of the sample electron spins. Here, we address this challenge by employing a magnetic noise-insensitive transition between states of different symmetry. We demonstrate a 27-fold narrower spectrum of single substitutional nitrogen (P1) centers in diamond with linewidth of several kilohertz, and then some weak couplings can be resolved. Those results show both spatial and spectral advances of NV center-based EPR, and provide a route towards analytical (EPR) spectroscopy at single-molecule level.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Single-spin scanning magnetic microscopy with radial basis function reconstruction algorithm

Exotic magnetic structures, such as magnetic skyrmions and domain walls, are becoming more important in nitrogen-vacancy center scanning magnetometry. However, a systematic imaging approach to mapping stray fields with fluctuation of several milliteslas generated by such structures is not yet available. Here we present a scheme to image a millitesla magnetic field by tracking the magnetic resonance frequency, which can record multiple contour lines for a magnetic field. The radial basis function algorithm is employed to reconstruct the magnetic field from the contour lines. Simulations with shot noise quantitatively confirm the high quality of the reconstruction algorithm. The method was validated by imaging the stray field of a frustrated magnet. Our scheme had a maximum detectable magnetic field gradient of 0.86 mT per pixel, which enables the efficient imaging of millitesla magnetic fields.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Nanoscale electrometry based on a magnetic-field-resistant spin sensor

The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center is a potential atomic-scale spin sensor for electric field sensing. However, its natural susceptibility to the magnetic field hinders effective detection of the electric field. Here we propose a robust electrometric method utilizing continuous dynamic decoupling (CDD) technique. During the CDD period, the NV center evolves in a dressed-state space, where the sensor is resistant to magnetic fields but remains sensitive to electric fields. As an example, we use this method to isolate the electric noise from a complex electro-magnetical environment near diamond surface via measuring the dephasing rate between dressed states. By reducing the surface electric noise with different covered liquids, we observe an unambiguous relation between the dephasing rate and the dielectric permittivity of the liquid, which enables a quantitative investigation of electric noise model near diamond surface.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Quantum simulation for three-dimensional chiral topological insulator

Quantum simulation, as a state-of-art technique, provides the powerful way to explore topological quantum phases beyond natural limits. Nevertheless, a previously-not-realized three-dimensional (3D) chiral topological insulator, and demonstrate by quantum quenches a complete study of both the bulk and surface topological physics. First, a dynamical bulk-surface correspondence in momentum space is observed, showing that the bulk topology of the 3D phase uniquely corresponds to the nontrivial quench dynamics emerging on 2D momentum hypersurfaces called band inversion surfaces (BISs), equivalent to the bulk-boundary correspondence in real space. Further, the symmetry protection of the 3D chiral phase is uncovered by measuring dynamical spin textures on BISs, which exhibit perfect (broken) topology when the chiral symmetry is preserved (broken). Finally we measure the topological charges to characterize directly the bulk topology, and identify an emergent dynamical topological transition when varying the quenches from deep to shallow regimes. This work opens a new avenue of quantum simulation towards for the complete study of topological quantum phases.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging of proteins in a single cell

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive and label-free technique widely used in medical diagnosis and life science research, and its success has benefited greatly from continuing efforts on enhancing contrast and resolution. Here we reported nanoscale MRI in a single cell using an atomic-size quantum sensor. With nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond, the intracellular protein ferritin has been imaged with a spatial resolution of ~ 10 nanometers, and ferritin-containing organelles were co-localized by correlative MRI and electron microscopy. Comparing to the current micrometer resolution in current state-of-art conventional MRI, our approach represents a 100-fold enhancement, and paves the way for MRI of intracellular proteins.

physics.bio-ph↗

arXiv2020

Nanoscale zero-field electron spin resonance spectroscopy

Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy has broad applications in physics, chemistry and biology. As a complementary tool, zero-field ESR (ZF-ESR) spectroscopy has been proposed for decades and shown its own benefits for investigating the electron fine and hyperfine interaction. However, the ZF-ESR method has been rarely used due to the low sensitivity and the requirement of much larger samples than conventional ESR. In this work, we present a method for deploying ZF-ESR spectroscopy at the nanoscale by using a highly sensitive quantum sensor, the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond. We also measure the nanoscale ZF-ESR spectrum of a few P1 centers in diamond, and show that the hyperfine coupling constant can be directly extracted from the spectrum. This method opens the door to practical applications of ZF-ESR spectroscopy, such as investigation of the structure and polarity information in spin-modified organic and biological systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Single DNA Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy in Aqueous Solutions

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of single biomolecules under near-physiological conditions may substantially advance understanding of biological function, yet remains very challenging. Here we use nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamonds to detect electron spin resonance spectra of individual, tethered DNA duplexes labeled with a nitroxide spin label in aqueous buffer solutions at ambient temperatures. This paves the way for magnetic resonance studies on single biomolecules and their inter-molecular interactions in a native-like environment.

physics.bio-ph↗

arXiv2020

Experimental sensing quantum atmosphere of a single spin

Understanding symmetry-breaking states of materials is a major challenge in the modern physical sciences. Quantum atmosphere proposed recently sheds light on the hidden world of these symmetry broken patterns. But the requirements for exquisite sensitivity to the small shift and tremendous spatial resolution to local information pose huge obstacles to its experimental manifestation. In our experiment, we prepare time-reversal-symmetry conserved and broken quantum atmosphere of a single nuclear spin and successfully observe their symmetry properties. Our work proves in principle that finding symmetry patterns from quantum atmosphere is conceptually viable. It also opens up entirely new possibilities in the potential application of quantum sensing in material diagnosis.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Breaking the quantum adiabatic speed limit by jumping along geodesics

Quantum adiabatic evolutions find a broad range of applications in quantum physics and quantum technologies. The traditional form of the quantum adiabatic theorem limits the speed of adiabatic evolution by the minimum energy gaps of the system Hamiltonian. Here, we experimentally show using a nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond that, even in the presence of vanishing energy gaps, quantum adiabatic evolution is possible. This verifies a recently derived necessary and sufficient quantum adiabatic theorem and offers paths to overcome the conventionally assumed constraints on adiabatic methods. By fast modulation of dynamic phases, we demonstrate near-unit-fidelity quantum adiabatic processes in finite times. These results challenge traditional views and provide deeper understanding on quantum adiabatic processes, as well as promising strategies for the control of quantum systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Structural analysis of nuclear spin clusters via two-dimensional nanoscale nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Two-dimensional Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is essential in molecular structure determination. The Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) center in diamond has been proposed and developed as an outstanding quantum sensor to realize NMR in nanoscale. In this work, we develop a scheme for two-dimensional nanoscale NMR spectroscopy based on quantum controls on an NV center. We carry out a proof of principle experiment on a target of two coupled $^{13}$C nuclear spins in diamond. A COSY-like sequences is used to acquire the data on time domain, which is then converted to frequency domain with the fast Fourier transform (FFT). With the two-dimensional NMR spectrum, the structure and location of the set of nuclear spin are resolved. This work marks a fundamental step towards resolving the structure of a single molecule.

quant-ph↗