Finkler Lab

Spin-based quantum information processing makes extensive use of spin-state manipulation. This ranges from dynamical decoupling of nuclear spins in quantum sensing experiments to applying logical gates on qubits in a quantum processor. Fast manipulation of spin states is highly desirable for accelerating experiments, enhancing sensitivity, and applying elaborate pulse sequences. Strong driving using intense radio-frequency (RF) fields can, therefore, facilitate fast manipulation and enable broadband excitation of spin species. In this work, we present an antenna for strong driving in quantum sensing experiments and theoretically address challenges of the strong driving regime. First, we designed and implemented a micron-scale planar spiral RF antenna capable of delivering intense fields to a sample. The planar antenna is tailored for quantum sensing experiments using the diamond’s nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center and should be applicable to other solid-state defects. The antenna has a broad bandwidth of 22 MHz, is compatible with scanning probes, and is suitable for cryogenic and ultrahigh vacuum conditions. We measure the magnetic field induced by the antenna and estimate a field-to-current ratio of 113 ± 16 G/A, representing a six-fold increase in efficiency compared to the state-of-the-art, crucial for cryogenic experiments. We demonstrate the antenna by driving Rabi oscillations in ¹H spins of an organic sample on the diamond surface and measure ¹H Rabi frequencies of over 500 kHz, i.e. π -pulses shorter than 1 μ s —an order of magnitude faster than previously reported in NV-based nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Finally, we discuss the implications of driving spins with a field tilted from the transverse plane in a regime where the driving amplitude is comparable to the spin-state splitting, such that the rotating wave approximation does not describe the dynamics well. We present a simple recipe to optimize pulse fidelity in this regime based on a phase and offset-shifted sine drive, which may be optimized in situ without numerical optimization procedures or precise modeling of the experiment. We consider this approach in a range of driving amplitudes and show that it is particularly efficient in the case of a tilted driving field. The results presented here constitute a foundation for implementing fast nuclear spin control in various systems.

Nitrogen vacancy (NV) center-based magnetometry has been proven to be a versatile sensor for various classes of magnetic materials in broad temperature and frequency ranges. Here, we use the longitudinal relaxation time T₁ of single NV centers to investigate the spin dynamics of nanometer-thin flakes of α-RuCl₃ at room temperature. We observe a significant reduction in the T₁ in the presence of α-RuCl₃ in the proximity of NVs, which we attribute to paramagnetic spin noise confined in the 2D hexagonal planes. Furthermore, the T₁ time exhibits a monotonic increase with an applied magnetic field. We associate this trend with the alteration of the spin and charge noise in α-RuCl₃ under an external magnetic field. These findings suggest that the influence of the spin dynamics of α-RuCl₃ on the T₁ of the NV center can be used to gain information about the material itself and the technique to be used on other 2D materials.

The field of nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging (NanoMRI) was started 30 years ago. It was motivated by the desire to image single molecules and molecular assemblies, such as proteins and virus particles, with near-atomic spatial resolution and on a length scale of 100 nm. Over the years, the NanoMRI field has also expanded to include the goal of useful high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of molecules under ambient conditions, including samples up to the micron-scale. The realization of these goals requires the development of spin detection techniques that are many orders of magnitude more sensitive than conventional NMR and MRI, capable of detecting and controlling nanoscale ensembles of spins. Over the years, a number of different technical approaches to NanoMRI have emerged, each possessing a distinct set of capabilities for basic and applied areas of science. The goal of this roadmap article is to report the current state of the art in NanoMRI technologies, outline the areas where they are poised to have impact, identify the challenges that lie ahead, and propose methods to meet these challenges. This roadmap also shows how developments in NanoMRI techniques can lead to breakthroughs in emerging quantum science and technology applications.