arXiv subjects

Sebastian Knauer

Publications and source records attributed to Sebastian Knauer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Brillouin Light Scattering Spectroscopy of Propagating Magnons at Sub-Kelvin Temperatures

Coupling light to magnetic excitations in the form of spin waves underpins both the optical study of magnetism and emerging schemes for quantum transduction, positioning the quanta of these excitations, magnons, as promising carriers for hybrid quantum networks. However, exploiting them in the quantum regime requires millikelvin temperatures to suppress thermal magnon populations, thereby confining such experiments to dilution refrigerators. There, magnons can already be excited and read out electrically, yet an optical interface required for microwave-to-optical photon conversion has been missing. Here, we demonstrate the first optical detection of coherently driven, propagating spin waves via Brillouin Light Scattering (BLS) spectroscopy inside a dilution refrigerator. By simultaneously recording the optical and electrical responses of the same spin-wave mode in a yttrium iron garnet film, we find that the BLS spectra track the electrically measured transmission across a range of applied magnetic fields. For the lowest optical power of 7.9 {\mu}W that still enabled spin-wave detection, we measured a global equilibrium sample temperature of 510 mK via a resistance thermometer, while numerical modelling of the laser-induced heating yields a maximum local temperature of 900 mK at the focal spot. This brings free-space optical access to magnons into the sub-kelvin regime, representing a milestone towards magnon-mediated quantum transduction in hybrid quantum systems.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2025

Long-range propagating paramagnon-polaritons in organic free radicals

Materials are commonly distinguished by their magnetic response into diamagnetic, paramagnetic, and magnetically ordered (ferro-, ferri-, and antiferromagnetic) phases. Diamagnets and paramagnets lack spontaneous long-range order, whereas ordered magnets develop such order below their Curie or N\'eel temperature and support single spin-wave excitations (magnons). Magnons have found applications in radio-frequency technologies and computation, magneto-optics, and foundational quantum experiments. Above the Curie/N\'eel temperature, long-range order is lost and the material transitions to a paramagnetic phase, with localised spin alignment in small patches, producing paramagnons with only short-range propagation. Here we show that long-range coherence is preserved in the organic free radical 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl above the N\'eel temperature using all-electrical propagating spin-wave spectroscopy in external magnetic fields. We observe coherently excited low-energy paramagnon-polaritons up to $\mathbf{23\,\mathrm{GHz}}$ , propagating over $\mathbf{8\,\mathrm{mm}}$ at supersonic group velocities exceeding $\mathbf{100\,\mathrm{km\,s^{-1}}}$. Using free radicals as magnon carriers integrates organic materials with spintronics and opens the way to organic electronics, dense information storage, and quantum technologies.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

k-Selective Electrical-to-Magnon Transduction with Realistic Field-distributed Nanoantennas

The excitation and detection of propagating spin waves with lithographed nanoantennas underpin both classical magnonic circuits and emerging quantum technologies. Here, we establish a framework for all-electrical propagating spin-wave spectroscopy (AEPSWS) that links realistic electromagnetic drive fields to micromagnetic dynamics. Using finite-element (FE) simulations, we compute the full vector near-field of electrical impedance-matched, tapered coplanar and stripline antennas and import this distribution into finite-difference (FD) micromagnetic solvers. This approach captures the antenna-limited wave-vector spectrum and the component-selective driving fields (perpendicular to the static magnetisation) that simplified uniform-field models cannot. From this coupling, we derive how realistic current return paths and tapering shapes, k-weighting functions, for Damon-Eshbach surface spin waves in yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG) films are, for millimetre-scale matched CPWs and linear tapers down to nanometre-scale antennas. Validation against experimental AEPSWS on a $48\,nm$ YIG film shows quantitative agreement in dispersion ridges, group velocities, and spectral peak positions, establishing that the antenna acts as a tunable k-space filter. These results provide actionable design rules for on-chip magnonic transducers, with immediate relevance for low-power operation regimes and prospective applications in quantum magnonics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Ultra-long-living magnons in the quantum limit

Solid-state platforms based on bosonic quasiparticles offer a compelling route toward on-chip quantum information technologies scalable to nanometer dimensions. Coherence time, a key figure of merit for any quantum system, is fundamentally limited by the lifetime of quasiparticles that store quantum information. For magnons - bosonic excitations of collective magnetization dynamics - it has long been reported that their lifetime does not exceed a few hundred nanoseconds, placing a stringent constraint on their use in quantum architectures. Here, we demonstrate magnon lifetimes exceeding 18 {\mu}s. Experiments performed on single-crystal yttrium iron garnet spheres cooled to 30 mK reveal relaxation times of short-wavelength magnons nearly two orders of magnitude longer than previously observed. These findings overturn the established view of magnon dissipation limits, positioning magnons as viable, long-lived information carriers for solid-state quantum computing.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

YIG/CoFeB bilayer magnonic diode

We demonstrate a magnonic diode based on a bilayer structure of Yttrium Iron Garnet (YIG) and Cobalt Iron Boron (CoFeB). The bilayer exhibits pronounced non-reciprocal spin-wave propagation, enabled by dipolar coupling and the magnetic properties of the two layers. The YIG layer provides low damping and efficient spin-wave propagation, while the CoFeB layer introduces strong magnetic anisotropy, critical for achieving diode functionality. Experimental results, supported by numerical simulations, show unidirectional propagation of Magnetostatic Surface Spin Waves (MSSW), significantly suppressing backscattered waves. This behavior was confirmed through wavevector-resolved and micro-focused Brillouin Light Scattering measurements and is supported by numerical simulations. The proposed YIG/SiO$_2$/CoFeB bilayer magnonic diode demonstrates the feasibility of leveraging non-reciprocal spin-wave dynamics for functional magnonic devices, paving the way for energy-efficient, wave-based signal processing technologies.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2024

Damping Enhancement in YIG at Millikelvin Temperatures due to GGG Substrate

Quantum magnonics aims to exploit the quantum mechanical properties of magnons for nanoscale quantum information technologies. Ferrimagnetic yttrium iron garnet (YIG), which offers the longest magnon lifetimes, is a key material typically grown on gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) substrates for structural compatibility. However, the increased magnetic damping in YIG/GGG systems below 50$\,$K poses a challenge for quantum applications. Here, we study the damping in a 97$\,$nm-thick YIG film on a 500$\,\mu$m-thick GGG substrate at temperatures down to 30$\,$mK using ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectroscopy. We show that the dominant physical mechanism for the observed tenfold increase in FMR linewidth at millikelvin temperatures is the non-uniform bias magnetic field generated by the partially magnetized paramagnetic GGG substrate. Numerical simulations and analytical theory show that the GGG-driven linewidth enhancement can reach up to 6.7 times. In addition, at low temperatures and frequencies above 18$\,$GHz, the FMR linewidth deviates from the viscous Gilbert-damping model. These results allow the partial elimination of the damping mechanisms attributed to GGG, which is necessary for the advancement of solid-state quantum technologies.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Wavenumber-dependent magnetic losses in YIG-GGG heterostructures at millikelvin temperatures

Magnons have inspired potential applications in modern quantum technologies and hybrid quantum systems due to their intrinsic nonlinearity, nanoscale scalability, and a unique set of experimentally accessible parameters for manipulating their dispersion. Such magnon-based quantum technologies demand long decoherence times, millikelvin temperatures, and minimal dissipation. Due to its low magnetic damping, the ferrimagnet yttrium iron garnet (YIG), grown on gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG), is the most promising material for this objective. To comprehend the magnetic losses of propagating magnons in such YIG-GGG heterostructures at cryogenic temperatures, we investigate magnon transport in a micrometer-thick YIG sample via propagating spin-wave spectroscopy (PSWS) measurements for temperatures between 4K to 26mK. We demonstrate an increase in the dissipation rate with wavenumber at cryogenic temperatures, caused by dipolar coupling to the partially magnetized GGG substrate. Additionally, we observe a temperature-dependent decrease in spin-wave transmission, attributed to rare earth ion relaxations. The critical role of the additional dissipation channels at cryogenic temperatures is underpinned by the comparison of the experimental results with theoretical calculations and micromagnetic simulations. Our findings strengthen the understanding of magnon losses at millikelvin temperatures, which is essential for the future detection of individual propagating magnons.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Experimental realisation of a universal inverse-design magnonic device

In the field of magnonics, which uses magnons, the quanta of spin waves, for energy-efficient data processing, significant progress has been made leveraging the capabilities of the inverse design concept. This approach involves defining a desired functionality and employing a feedback-loop algorithm to optimise the device design. In this study, we present the first experimental demonstration of a reconfigurable, lithography-free, and simulation-free inverse-design device capable of implementing various RF components. The device features a square array of independent direct current loops that generate a complex reconfigurable magnetic medium atop a Yttrium-Iron-Garnet (YIG) rectangular film for data processing in the gigahertz range. Showcasing its versatility, the device addresses inverse problems using two algorithms to create RF notch filters and demultiplexers. Additionally, the device holds promise for binary, reservoir, and neuromorphic computing applications.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2024

Magnetic anisotropy and GGG substrate stray field in YIG films down to millikelvin temperatures

Quantum magnonics investigates the quantum-mechanical properties of magnons such as quantum coherence or entanglement for solid-state quantum information technologies at the nanoscale. The most promising material for quantum magnonics is the ferrimagnetic yttrium iron garnet (YIG), which hosts magnons with the longest lifetimes. YIG films of the highest quality are grown on a paramagnetic gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) substrate. The literature has reported that ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) frequencies of YIG/GGG decrease at temperatures below 50 K despite the increase in YIG magnetization. We investigated a 97 nm-thick YIG film grown on 500 $\mathrm{\mu}$m-thick GGG substrate through a series of experiments conducted at temperatures as low as 30 mK, and using both analytical and numerical methods. Our findings suggest that the primary factor contributing to the FMR frequency shift is the stray magnetic field created by the partially magnetized GGG substrate. This stray field is antiparallel to the applied external field and is highly inhomogeneous, reaching up to 40 mT in the center of the sample. At temperatures below 500 mK, the GGG field exhibits a saturation that cannot be described by the standard Brillouin function for a paramagnet. Including the calculated GGG field in the analysis of the FMR frequency versus temperature dependence allowed the determination of the cubic and uniaxial anisotropies. We find that the total anisotropy increases more than three times with the decrease in temperature down to 2 K. Our findings enable accurate predictions of the YIG/GGG magnetic systems behavior at low and ultra-low millikelvin temperatures, crucial for developing quantum magnonic devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Propagating spin-wave spectroscopy in nanometer-thick YIG films at millikelvin temperatures

Performing propagating spin-wave spectroscopy of thin films at millikelvin temperatures is the next step towards the realisation of large-scale integrated magnonic circuits for quantum applications. Here we demonstrate spin-wave propagation in a $100\,\mathrm{nm}$-thick yttrium-iron-garnet film at the temperatures down to $45 \,\mathrm{mK}$, using stripline nanoantennas deposited on YIG surface for the electrical excitation and detection. The clear transmission characteristics over the distance of $10\,\mu \mathrm{m}$ are measured and the subtracted spin-wave group velocity and the YIG saturation magnetisation agree well with the theoretical values. We show that the gadolinium-gallium-garnet substrate influences the spin-wave propagation characteristics only for the applied magnetic fields beyond $75\,\mathrm{mT}$, originating from a GGG magnetisation up to $47 \,\mathrm{kA/m}$ at $45 \,\mathrm{mK}$. Our results show that the developed fabrication and measurement methodologies enable the realisation of integrated magnonic quantum nanotechnologies at millikelvin temperatures.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2022

Generation of Spin-Wave Pulses by Inverse Design

The development of fast magnonic information processing nanodevices requires operating with short spin-wave pulses, but, the shorter the pulses, the more affected they are by information loss due to broadening and dispersion. The capability of engineering spin-wave pulses and controlling their propagation could solve this problem. Here, we provide a method to generate linear spin-wave pulses with a desired spatial-temporal profile in magnonic waveguides based on inverse design. As relevant examples, we theoretically predict that both rectangular and self-compressing spin-wave pulses can be generated in state-of-the-art waveguides with fidelities >96% using narrow stripline antennas. The method requires minimal computational overhead and is universal, i.e., it applies to arbitrary targeted pulse shapes, type of waves (exchange or dipolar), waveguide materials, and waveguide geometries. It can also be extended to more complex magnonic structures. Our results could lead to the utilization of large-scale magnonic circuits for classical and quantum information processing.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Stabilization of a nonlinear bullet coexisting with a Bose-Einstein condensate in a rapidly cooled magnonic system driven by a spin-orbit torque

We have recently shown that injection of magnons into a magnetic dielectric via the spin-orbit torque (SOT) effect in the adjacent layer of a heavy metal subjected to the action of short (0.1 $\mu$s) current pulses allows for control of a magnon Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC). Here, the BEC was formed in the process of rapid cooling (RC), when the electric current heating the sample is abruptly terminated. In the present study, we show that the application of a longer (1.0 $\mu$s) electric current pulse triggers the formation of a nonlinear localized magnonic bullet below the linear magnon spectrum. After pulse termination, the magnon BEC, as before, is formed at the bottom of the linear spectrum, but the nonlinear bullet continues to exist, stabilized for additional 30 ns by the same process of RC-induced magnon condensation. Our results suggest that a stimulated condensation of excess magnons to all highly populated magnonic states occurs.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2021

Control of the Bose-Einstein Condensation of Magnons by the Spin-Hall Effect

Previously, it has been shown that rapid cooling of yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG)/platinum (Pt) nano structures, preheated by an electric current sent through the Pt layer, leads to overpopulation of a magnon gas and to subsequent formation of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of magnons. The spin Hall effect (SHE), which creates a spin-polarized current in the Pt layer, can inject or annihilate magnons depending on the electric current and applied field orientations. Here we demonstrate that the injection or annihilation of magnons via the SHE can prevent or promote the formation of a rapid cooling induced magnon BEC. Depending on the current polarity, a change in the BEC threshold of -8% and +6% was detected. These findings demonstrate a new method to control macroscopic quantum states, paving the way for their application in spintronic devices.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2020

Learning models of quantum systems from experiments

An isolated system of interacting quantum particles is described by a Hamiltonian operator. Hamiltonian models underpin the study and analysis of physical and chemical processes throughout science and industry, so it is crucial they are faithful to the system they represent. However, formulating and testing Hamiltonian models of quantum systems from experimental data is difficult because it is impossible to directly observe which interactions the quantum system is subject to. Here, we propose and demonstrate an approach to retrieving a Hamiltonian model from experiments, using unsupervised machine learning. We test our methods experimentally on an electron spin in a nitrogen-vacancy interacting with its spin bath environment, and numerically, finding success rates up to 86%. By building agents capable of learning science, which recover meaningful representations, we can gain further insight on the physics of quantum systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2018

Magnetic-field-learning using a single electronic spin in diamond with one-photon-readout at room temperature

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres in diamond are appealing nano-scale quantum sensors for temperature, strain, electric fields and, most notably, for magnetic fields. However, the cryogenic temperatures required for low-noise single-shot readout that have enabled the most sensitive NV-magnetometry reported to date, are impractical for key applications, e.g. biological sensing. Overcoming the noisy readout at room-temperature has until now demanded repeated collection of fluorescent photons, which increases the time-cost of the procedure thus reducing its sensitivity. Here we show how machine learning can process the noisy readout of a single NV centre at room-temperature, requiring on average only one photon per algorithm step, to sense magnetic field strength with a precision comparable to those reported for cryogenic experiments. Analysing large data sets from NV centres in bulk diamond, we report absolute sensitivities of $60$ nT s$^{1/2}$ including initialisation, readout, and computational overheads. We show that dephasing times can be simultaneously estimated, and that time-dependent fields can be dynamically tracked at room temperature. Our results dramatically increase the practicality of early-term single spin sensors.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2017

Experimental Quantum Hamiltonian Learning

Efficiently characterising quantum systems, verifying operations of quantum devices and validating underpinning physical models, are central challenges for the development of quantum technologies and for our continued understanding of foundational physics. Machine-learning enhanced by quantum simulators has been proposed as a route to improve the computational cost of performing these studies. Here we interface two different quantum systems through a classical channel - a silicon-photonics quantum simulator and an electron spin in a diamond nitrogen-vacancy centre - and use the former to learn the latter's Hamiltonian via Bayesian inference. We learn the salient Hamiltonian parameter with an uncertainty of approximately $10^{-5}$. Furthermore, an observed saturation in the learning algorithm suggests deficiencies in the underlying Hamiltonian model, which we exploit to further improve the model itself. We go on to implement an interactive version of the protocol and experimentally show its ability to characterise the operation of the quantum photonic device. This work demonstrates powerful new quantum-enhanced techniques for investigating foundational physical models and characterising quantum technologies.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2016

Laser writing of coherent colour centres in diamond

Optically active point defects in crystals have gained widespread attention as photonic systems that can find use in quantum information technologies. However challenges remain in the placing of individual defects at desired locations, an essential element of device fabrication. Here we report the controlled generation of single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres in diamond using laser writing. The use of aberration correction in the writing optics allows precise positioning of vacancies within the diamond crystal, and subsequent annealing produces single NV centres with up to 45% success probability, within about 200 nm of the desired position. Selected NV centres fabricated by this method display stable, coherent optical transitions at cryogenic temperatures, a pre-requisite for the creation of distributed quantum networks of solid-state qubits. The results illustrate the potential of laser writing as a new tool for defect engineering in quantum technologies.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2015

A charged quantum dot micropillar system for deterministic light matter interactions

Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanostructures in which a three dimensional potential trap produces an electronic quantum confinement, thus mimicking the behaviour of single atomic dipole-like transitions. However unlike atoms, QDs can be incorporated into solid state photonic devices such as cavities or waveguides that enhance the light-matter interaction. A near unit efficiency light-matter interaction is essential for deterministic, scalable quantum information (QI) devices. In this limit, a single photon input into the device will undergo a large rotation of the polarization of the light field due to the strong interaction with the QD. In this paper we measure a macroscopic ($\sim6^o$) phase shift of light as a result of the interaction with a negatively charged QD coupled to a low quality-factor (Q$\sim290$) pillar microcavity. This unexpectedly large rotation angle demonstrates this simple low Q-factor design would enable near deterministic light-matter interactions.

quant-ph↗