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Sensing Coherent Nuclear Spin Dynamics with an Ensemble of Paramagnetic Nitrogen Spins

MetadataDetails
Publication Date2024-05-14
JournalPRX Quantum
AuthorsR. M. Goldblatt, A. Martin, A. A. Wood
InstitutionsThe University of Melbourne
Citations8

The unpolarized spin environment surrounding a central spin qubit is typically considered as an incoherent source of dephasing, however, precise characterization and control of the spin bath can yield a resource for storing and sensing with quantum states. In this work, we use nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond to measure the coherence of optically dark paramagnetic nitrogen defects (P1 centers) and detect coherent interactions between the P1 centers and a local bath of <a:math xmlns:a=ā€œhttp://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathMLā€ display=ā€œinlineā€ overflow=ā€œscrollā€><a:msup><a:mi/><a:mn>13</a:mn></a:msup><a:mrow><a:mi mathvariant=ā€œnormalā€>C</a:mi></a:mrow></a:math> nuclear spins. The dipolar coupling between the P1 centers and <e:math xmlns:e=ā€œhttp://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathMLā€ display=ā€œinlineā€ overflow=ā€œscrollā€><e:msup><e:mi/><e:mn>13</e:mn></e:msup><e:mrow><e:mi mathvariant=ā€œnormalā€>C</e:mi></e:mrow></e:math> nuclear spins is identified by signature periodic collapses and revivals in the P1 spin coherence signal. We then demonstrate, using a range of dynamical decoupling protocols, that the probing NV centers and the P1 spins are coupled to independent ensembles of <i:math xmlns:i=ā€œhttp://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathMLā€ display=ā€œinlineā€ overflow=ā€œscrollā€><i:msup><i:mi/><i:mn>13</i:mn></i:msup><i:mrow><i:mi mathvariant=ā€œnormalā€>C</i:mi></i:mrow></i:math> nuclear spins. Our work illustrates how the optically dark P1 spins can be used to extract information from their local environment and offers new insight into the interactions within a many-body system. Published by the American Physical Society 2024