Electron-induced state conversion in diamond NV centers measured with pump-probe cathodoluminescence spectroscopy

Abstract

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond are reliable single-photon emitters, with applications in quantum technologies and metrology. Two charge states are known for NV centers: NV${}^0$ and NV${}^{-}$, with the latter being mostly studied due to its long electron spin coherence time. Therefore, control over the charge state of the NV centers is essential. However, an understanding of the dynamics between the different states still remains challenging. Here, conversion from NV${}^{-}$ to NV${}^0$ due to electron-induced carrier generation is shown. Ultrafast pump-probe cathodoluminescence spectroscopy is presented for the first time, with electron pulses as pump, and laser pulses as probe, to prepare and read out the NV states. The experimental data is explained with a model considering carrier dynamics (0.8 ns), NV${}^0$ spontaneous emission (20 ns) and NV${}^0$ $\to$NV${}^{-}$ back transfer (500 ms). The results provide new insights into the NV${}^{-}$$\leftrightarrow$NV${}^0$ conversion dynamics, and into the use of pump-probe cathodoluminescence as a nanoscale NV characterization tool.

References in corpus (21)

• The nitrogen-vacancy colour centre in diamond
• Experimental loophole-free violation of a Bell inequality using entangled electron spins separated by 1.3 km
• High-sensitivity diamond magnetometer with nanoscale resolution
• Nanometer scale quantum thermometry in a living cell
• Photon antibunching in the fluorescence of individual color centers in diamond
• Photo induced ionization dynamics of the nitrogen vacancy defect in diamond investigated by single shot charge state detection
• Ultrafast transmission electron microscopy using a laser-driven field emitter: femtosecond resolution with a high coherence electron beam
• Chemical control of the charge state of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond
• Surface-induced charge state conversion of nitrogen-vacancy defects in nanodiamonds
• Low Temperature Studies of Charge Dynamics of Nitrogen-Vacancy Defect in Diamond
• Conversion of neutral nitrogen-vacancy centers to negatively-charged nitrogen-vacancy centers through selective oxidation
• Integrated diamond networks for quantum nanophotonics
• Spatially resolved quantum nano-optics of single photons using an electron microscope
• Photophysics of single nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond nanocrystals
• Photonic Quantum Networks formed from NV- Centers
• Near-Infrared-Assisted Charge Control and Spin Readout of the Nitrogen-Vacancy Center in Diamond
• Nanoscale mapping of ultrafast magnetization dynamics with femtosecond Lorentz microscopy
• Charge State Dynamics During Excitation and Depletion of the Nitrogen Vacancy Center in Diamond
• Scanning Ultrafast Electron Microscopy: A Novel Technique to Probe Photocarrier Dynamics with High Spatial and Temporal Resolutions
• Probing plasmon-NV${}^0$ coupling at the nanometer scale with photons and fast electrons
• Quantitative relevance of substitutional impurities to carrier dynamics in diamond

Cited by in corpus (12)

• Optical Excitations with Electron Beams: Challenges and Opportunities
• CVD diamond single crystals with NV centres: a review of material synthesis and technology for quantum sensing applications
• Purcell effect of nitrogen-vacancy centers in nanodiamond coupled to propagating and localized surface plasmons revealed by photon-correlation cathodoluminescence
• Time-Resolved Cathodoluminescence in an Ultrafast Transmission Electron Microscope
• Ultrafast phonon-mediated dephasing of color centers in hexagonal boron nitride probed by electron beams
• An efficient and low-cost method to create high-density nitrogen-vacancy centers in CVD diamond for sensing applications
• Superbunching in cathodoluminescence: a master equation approach
• Nano-optics of transition metal dichalcogenides and their van der Waals heterostructures with electron spectroscopies
• Ultrafast opto-magnetic effects induced by nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond crystals
• Engineering the Collapse of Lifetime Distribution of Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Nanodiamonds
• Femtosecond laser micromachining of diamond: current research status, applications and challenges
• Decay rate enhancement of diamond NV-centers on diamond thin films