Multicone Diamond Waveguides for Nanoscale Quantum Sensing

Abstract

The long-lived electronic spin of the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond is a promising quantum sensor for detecting nanoscopic magnetic and electric fields in a variety of experimental conditions. Nevertheless, an outstanding challenge in improving measurement sensitivity is the poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of prevalent optical spin-readout techniques. Here, we address this limitation by coupling individual NV centers to optimized diamond nanopillar structures, thereby improving optical collection efficiency of fluorescence. First, we optimize the structure in simulation, observing an increase in collection efficiency for tall ($\ge$ 5 $\mu$m) pillars with tapered sidewalls. We subsequently verify these predictions by fabricating and characterizing a representative set of structures using a reliable and reproducible nanofabrication process. An optimized device yields increased SNR, owing to improvements in collimation and directionality of emission. Promisingly, these devices are compatible with low-numerical-aperture, long-working-distance collection optics, as well as reduced tip radius, facilitating improved spatial resolution for scanning applications.

22 pages, five figures

References in corpus (13)

• High-sensitivity diamond magnetometer with nanoscale resolution
• Scanning magnetic field microscope with a diamond single-spin sensor
• Probing magnetism in 2D materials at the nanoscale with single spin microscopy
• Cavity QED with Diamond Nanocrystals and Silica Microspheres
• Real-space imaging of non-collinear antiferromagnetic order with a single spin magnetometer
• Strongly enhanced photon collection from diamond defect centres under micro-fabricated integrated solid immersion lenses
• Spin dynamics in the optical cycle of single nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond
• High-Q optical nanocavities in bulk single-crystal diamond
• Three megahertz photon collection rate from an NV center with millisecond spin coherence
• Integrated quantum photonics with silicon carbide: challenges and prospects
• Nano-engineered Diamond Waveguide as a Robust Bright Platform for Nanomagnetometry Using Shallow Nitrogen Vacancy Centers
• Diamond surface engineering for molecular sensing with nitrogen-vacancy centers
• Optimized diamond inverted nanocones for enhanced color center to fiber coupling

Cited by in corpus (8)

• Minimizing sensor-sample distances in scanning nitrogen-vacancy magnetometry
• Quantum magnetometry of transient signals with a time resolution of 1.1 nanoseconds
• Multidimensional spectroscopy of nuclear spin clusters in diamond
• Room temperature relaxometry of single nitrogen-vacancy centers in proximity to $\alpha$-RuCl${}_3$ nanoflakes
• Multiplexed scanning microscopy with dual-qubit spin sensors
• Observation and Control of Chiral Spin Frustration in BiYIG Thin Films
• Charge and Spin Dynamics and Destabilization of Shallow Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers under UV and Blue Excitation
• Harnessing the Diamond-Air Interface as an Efficient Photon Antenna for Solid-State Emitters