Phonon-Induced Population Dynamics and Intersystem Crossing in Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers
At a Glance
Section titled âAt a Glanceâ| Metadata | Details |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | 2015-04-08 |
| Journal | Physical Review Letters |
| Authors | Michael Goldman, Alp Sipahigil, Marcus W. Doherty, Norman Y. Yao, Steven Bennett |
| Institutions | Element Six (United Kingdom), Harvard University |
| Citations | 175 |
Abstract
Section titled âAbstractâWe report direct measurement of population dynamics in the excited state manifold of a nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond. We quantify the phonon-induced mixing rate and demonstrate that it can be completely suppressed at low temperatures. Further, we measure the intersystem crossing (ISC) rate for different excited states and develop a theoretical model that unifies the phonon-induced mixing and ISC mechanisms. We find that our model is in excellent agreement with experiment and that it can be used to predict unknown elements of the NV centerâs electronic structure. We discuss the modelâs implications for enhancing the NV centerâs performance as a room-temperature sensor.