Nitrogen-Terminated Diamond (111) Surface for Room-Temperature Quantum Sensing and Simulation

Area of Science:

• Quantum physics
• Materials science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond are promising for nanoscale sensing.
• Near-surface NV centers exhibit limited spin coherence time, hindering sensitivity.
• This limitation is potentially due to surface termination issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of surface termination on NV center properties.
• To propose a novel surface termination for improved NV center performance.
• To explore the potential of nitrogen-terminated diamond for quantum technologies.

Main Methods:

• First-principles calculations were employed to model diamond surfaces.
• The electronic and spin properties of nitrogen-terminated (111) diamond were analyzed.
• Fabrication methods for the proposed surface were considered.

Main Results:

• Nitrogen termination of the (111) diamond surface results in electrical inactivity.
• The proposed surface is free from surface spin noise.
• This termination is anticipated to be achievable via nitrogen plasma treatment.

Conclusions:

• Nitrogen-terminated (111) diamond offers a promising solution for enhancing NV center coherence.
• This surface modification can lead to improved sensitivity in NV-based quantum sensing.
• The findings support the development of advanced NV-based quantum sensing and simulation at room temperature.