Systematic Search for New Color Centers in Diamond for Quantum Technologies

Abstract

Color centers in diamond are a promising platform for applications such as nanoscalesensing, quantum-enhanced metrology, and quantum information processing. These color centersare typically lattice-substitutional defects with electronic states that are located deep within theband gap of diamond, and they can act as isolated, atom-like systems. For example, thenegatively charged NV center in diamond has an electronic spin that exhibits long coherencetimes at room temperature, and can be measured and initialized optically. These properties makethe NV an attractive system for quantum networks, in a scheme where quantum information isstored and manipulated in electronic and nuclear spins, while resonant optical transitions areused to generate atom-photon entanglement. Additionally, the NV can be a sensitive, nanoscaleprobe of magnetic fields, temperature, electric fields, and strain. However, the NV has severaldrawbacks that limit its scalability—only 3% of its emission is coherent, and it exhibits a largestatic and dynamic inhomogeneous linewidth. Furthermore, when placed very close to surfaces,the NV suffers from rapid decoherence.We will systematically search for new color centers in diamond with applications to quantumtechnologies by combining state-of-the-art materials engineering with state-of-the-artcharacterization and measurement tools. Recent developments in chemical vapor deposition(CVD) diamond growth have enabled the scalable and reproducible synthesis of ultra-high puritysubstrates (<1 ppb impurity concentration), which allows dopants and heteroatoms to beintroduced in an extremely controlled fashion. We will build on these capabilities to devise novelmaterials engineering schemes to access new defects and stabilize the desired charge state. Wewill leverage collaborations with world experts in diamond materials growth and processing tosystematically explore novel materials.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
May 02, 2017
Source ID
FA95501710158

Entities

People

  • Nathalie De Leon

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • Trustees of Princeton University
  • United States Air Force

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Canine Service Warrior Training Program for Wounded Warriors in the Veterinary Industry, Supported by Donors.
  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Quantum spin resonance or Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Graphene
  • Quantum Computing
  • Quantum Science - Quantum Dots