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Transform-Limited Photons From a Coherent Tin-Vacancy Spin in Diamond
Matthew E Trusheim1, Benjamin Pingault2, Noel H Wan1
1Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|February 1, 2020
Summary
Tin-vacancy (SnV) centers in diamond nanostructures exhibit excellent spin and optical properties. These quantum emitters demonstrate long spin lifetimes and coherence times at near-room temperatures, making them ideal for quantum networks.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Information Science
- Solid-State Physics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Quantum networks require solid-state quantum emitters coupling optical transitions to long-lived spin qubits.
- Tin-vacancy (SnV) centers in diamond are investigated as potential candidates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the spin and optical properties of individual SnV centers in diamond nanostructures.
- To evaluate their suitability for quantum networking applications.
Main Methods:
- Cryogenic magneto-optical spectroscopy
- Spin spectroscopy
- Analysis of spin-conserving and spin-flipping transitions
- Measurement of electron spin lifetimes and dephasing times
Main Results:
- Verified inversion-symmetric electronic structure of SnV centers.
- Optical transitions approach the radiative lifetime limit in nanofabricated structures.
- Achieved spin lifetimes (T1) > 10 ms, limited by phonons with exponential temperature scaling.
- Coherence time (T2*) reached the nuclear spin-bath limit at 2.9 K.
- Demonstrated superior spin properties compared to other color centers at higher temperatures.
Conclusions:
- SnV centers exhibit favorable spin and optical properties for quantum networking.
- Long spin coherence achieved without cryogenic dilution refrigeration.
- SnV centers are a promising candidate for scalable and feasible quantum networking applications.
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