Optical patterning of trapped charge in nitrogen-doped diamond

Area of Science:

• Quantum Information Science
• Materials Science
• Solid-State Physics

Background:

• Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond are key for quantum computing and nanoscale measurements.
• Controlling the charge state of NV centers is essential for these applications.
• Optical excitation is a primary method for manipulating NV charge states.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the dynamics of photo-ionization, charge diffusion, and trapping of NV centers in diamond.
• To understand how localized optical excitation affects charge distribution and NV charge states.
• To explore the potential of NV centers for quantum information transport and 3D memory.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two-color optical microscopy to study NV charge dynamics.
• Employed fixed-point laser excitation and scanning fluorescence imaging to manipulate and probe charge concentrations.
• Developed a model to simulate charge carrier interactions with atomic defects.

Main Results:

• Observed the formation of spatial patterns of trapped charge in type-1b diamond.
• Qualitatively reproduced these charge patterns using a model of photo-excited carriers and defects.
• Mapped the relative fraction of positively charged nitrogen using NV centers as probes.

Conclusions:

• The study provides insights into NV charge dynamics under optical excitation.
• Understanding charge trapping and diffusion is vital for advancing NV-based quantum technologies.
• These findings support the development of quantum information transfer and 3D charge-based memories.