The mechanical and thermal properties of the nitrogen-vacancy centre in diamond [article]

Michael Samuel James Barson, University, The Australian National, University, The Australian National
2018
Quantum technologies offer revolutionary new ways to perform metrology and process information. However, successfully exploiting quantum devices for new practical technology is a challenging problem. Due to the fragile nature of quantum states, precision measurements and operations using quantum objects are often confined to systems that are well protected from their environment. This can limit the practical use of such quantum devices. A quantum tool that can successfully and simply operate in
more » ... ambient conditions would provide major advances in quantum technology. In the past decade or so, the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centre in diamond has proven itself to be a remarkably powerful tool for nanoscale quantum sensing and quantum information processing in ambient conditions. Despite these achievements, there are still several fundamental features of the NV centre which are not completely understood. This thesis addresses these areas in two parts, firstly the mechanical properties and secondly the thermal properties of the NV centre. The effect of crystal stress or strain on the spin resonances on the NV centre ground state is theoretically described and then experimentally characterised; correcting previously contradictory attempts to explain the observed behaviour. The utility of this knowledge is demonstrated by force sensing in a microscopic diamond cantilever using a single NV centre. New unique concepts of force sensing and metrology based on the NV spin-mechanical interaction are explored. The thermal properties of the NV centre's optical and spin resonances are theoretically described and experimentally characterised; providing the first successful description that details the origin of the effect of temperature on the spin resonance. Furthermore, the atomscopic changes in the NV centre's electronic orbitals due to the effect of crystal distortion are directly probed. This complete understanding of the NV centre's mechanical and thermal behaviour enables metrology that spans the full magnetic-temperature-pressur [...]
doi:10.25911/5d4ea4826b530 fatcat:ygiwjl3gqbdedoqkmmggknqojy