arXiv subjects

Victor M. Acosta

Publications and source records attributed to Victor M. Acosta.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

Quantum memories: emerging applications and recent advances

Quantum light-matter interfaces are at the heart of photonic quantum technologies. Quantum memories for photons, where non-classical states of photons are mapped onto stationary matter states and preserved for subsequent retrieval, are technical realizations enabled by exquisite control over interactions between light and matter. The ability of quantum memories to synchronize probabilistic events makes them a key component in quantum repeaters and quantum computation based on linear optics. This critical feature has motivated many groups to dedicate theoretical and experimental research to develop quantum memory devices. In recent years, exciting new applications, and more advanced developments of quantum memories, have proliferated. In this review, we outline some of the emerging applications of quantum memories in optical signal processing, quantum computation, and nonlinear optics. We review recent experimental and theoretical developments, and their impacts on more advanced photonic quantum technologies based on quantum memories.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2016

High density NV sensing surface created via He^(+) ion implantation of (12)^C diamond

We present a promising method for creating high-density ensembles of nitrogen-vacancy centers with narrow spin-resonances for high-sensitivity magnetic imaging. Practically, narrow spin-resonance linewidths substantially reduce the optical and RF power requirements for ensemble-based sensing. The method combines isotope purified diamond growth, in situ nitrogen doping, and helium ion implantation to realize a 100 nm-thick sensing surface. The obtained 10^(17) cm^(-3) nitrogen-vacancy density is only a factor of 10 less than the highest densities reported to date, with an observed spin resonance linewidth over 10 times more narrow. The 200 kHz linewidth is most likely limited by dipolar broadening indicating even further reduction of the linewidth is desirable and possible.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Raman quantum memory based on an ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy centers coupled to a microcavity

We propose a scheme to realize optical quantum memories in an ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond that are coupled to a micro-cavity. The scheme is based on off-resonant Raman coupling, which allows one to circumvent optical inhomogeneous broadening and store optical photons in the electronic spin coherence. This approach promises a storage time of order one second and a time-bandwidth product of order 10$^7$. We include all possible optical transitions in a 9-level configuration, numerically evaluate the efficiencies and discuss the requirements for achieving high efficiency and fidelity.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

The temperature shifts of the resonances of the NV- center in diamond

Significant attention has been recently focused on the realization of high precision nano-thermometry using the spin-resonance temperature shift of the negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV-) center in diamond. However, the precise physical origins of the temperature shift is yet to be understood. Here, the shifts of the center's optical and spin resonances are observed and a model is developed that identifies the origin of each shift to be a combination of thermal expansion and electron-phonon interactions. Our results provide new insight into the center's vibronic properties and reveal implications for NV- thermometry.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2013

Electromagnetically-induced transparency in a diamond spin ensemble enables all-optical electromagnetic field sensing

We use electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT) to probe the narrow electron-spin resonance of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond. Working with a multi-pass diamond chip at temperatures 6-30 K, the zero-phonon absorption line (637 nm) exhibits an optical depth of 6 and inhomogenous linewidth of ~30 GHz full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM). Simultaneous optical excitation at two frequencies separated by the ground-state zero-field splitting (2.88 GHz), reveals EIT resonances with a contrast exceeding 6% and FWHM down to 0.4 MHz. The resonances provide an all-optical probe of external electric and magnetic fields with a projected photon-shot-noise-limited sensitivity of 0.2 V/cm/sqrt(Hz) and 0.1 nT/sqrt(Hz), respectively. Operation of a prototype diamond-EIT magnetometer measures a noise floor of less than 1 nT/sqrt(Hz) for frequencies above 10 Hz and Allan deviation of 1.3 +/- 1.1 nT for 100 s intervals. The results demonstrate the potential of diamond-EIT devices for applications ranging from quantum-optical memory to few-photon nonlinear optics, precision measurement, and tests of fundamental physics.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

Absolute magnetometry based on quantum beats in diamond nitrogen-vacancy centers

We demonstrate an absolute magnetometer immune to temperature fluctuation and strain inhomogeneity, based on quantum beats in the ground state of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond. We apply this technique to measure low-frequency magnetic field noise using a single nitrogen-vacancy center located within 500 nm of the surface of an isotopically-pure (99.99% C12) diamond. The photon-shot-noise limited sensitivity achieves 38 nT/Hz^1/2 for 4.45 s acquisition time, a factor of 2^1/2 better than the implementation which uses only two spin levels. For long acquisition times (>10 s), we realize up to a factor of 15 improvement in magnetic sensitivity, which demonstrates the robustness of our technique against thermal drifts. Applying our technique to nitrogen-vacancy center ensembles, we eliminate dephasing from longitudinal strain inhomogeneity, resulting in a factor of 2.3 improvement in sensitivity.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Electron Spin Resonance Shift and Linewidth Broadening of Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Diamond as a Function of Electron Irradiation Dose

A high-nitrogen-concentration diamond sample was subject to 200-keV electron irradiation using a transmission electron microscope. The optical and spin-resonance properties of the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color centers were investigated as a function of the irradiation dose up to 6.4\times1021 e-/cm2. The microwave transition frequency of the NV- center was found to shift by up to 0.6% (17.1 MHz) and the linewidth broadened with increasing electron-irradiation dose. Unexpectedly, the measured magnetic sensitivity is best at the lowest irradiation dose, even though the NV concentration increases monotonically with increasing dose. This is in large part due to a sharp reduction in optically-detected spin contrast at higher doses.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Coupling of Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers to Photonic Crystal Cavities in Monocrystalline Diamond

The zero-phonon transition rate of a nitrogen-vacancy center is enhanced by a factor of ~70 by coupling to a photonic crystal resonator fabricated in monocrystalline diamond using standard semiconductor fabrication techniques. Photon correlation measurements on the spectrally filtered zero-phonon line show antibunching, a signature that the collected photoluminescence is emitted primarily by a single nitrogen-vacancy center. The linewidth of the coupled nitrogen-vacancy center and the spectral diffusion are characterized using high-resolution photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

Room Temperature Operation of a Radiofrequency Diamond Magnetometer near the Shot Noise Limit

We operate a nitrogen vacancy (NV-) diamond magnetometer at ambient temperatures and study the dependence of its bandwidth on experimental parameters including optical and microwave excitation powers. We introduce an analytical theory that yields an explicit formula for the response of an ensemble of NV- spins to an oscillating magnetic field, such as in NMR applications. We measure a detection bandwidth of 1.6 MHz and a sensitivity of 4.6 nT/Hz^(1/2), unprecedented in a detector with this active volume and close to the photon shot noise limit of our experiment.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2010

Detection of the Meissner Effect with a Diamond Magnetometer

We examine the possibility of probing superconductivity effects in metal nanoclusters via diamond magnetometry. Metal nanoclusters have been proposed as constitutive elements of high T$_c$ superconducting nanostructured materials. Magnetometry based on the detection of spin-selective fluorescence of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond is capable of nanoscale spatial resolution and could be used as a tool for investigating the properties of single or multiple clusters interacting among each other or with a surface. We have carried out sensitivity estimates and experiments to understand how these magnetometers could be used in such a situation. We studied the behavior of the sensor as a function of temperature and detected the flux exclusion effect in a superconductor by monitoring the [111]-orientation fine structure spectrum in high-NV density diamond. Our results show that phase transitions can be ascertained in a bulk superconductor with this technique while the principal zero field splitting parameter ($D$) demonstrates a temperature dependence that may require compensation schemes.

cond-mat.supr-con↗