Abstract

Electron spins of diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres are important quantum resources for nanoscale sensing and quantum information. Combining NV spins with levitated optomechanical resonators will provide a hybrid quantum system for novel applications. Here we optically levitate a nanodiamond and demonstrate electron spin control of its built-in NV centres in low vacuum. We observe that the strength of electron spin resonance (ESR) is enhanced when the air pressure is reduced. To better understand this system, we investigate the effects of trap power and measure the absolute internal temperature of levitated nanodiamonds with ESR after calibration of the strain effect. We also observe that oxygen and helium gases have different effects on both the photoluminescence and the ESR contrast of nanodiamond NV centres, indicating potential applications of NV centres in oxygen gas sensing. Our results pave the way towards a levitated spin–optomechanical system for studying macroscopic quantum mechanics.

Highlights

  • Electron spins of diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres are important quantum resources for nanoscale sensing and quantum information

  • We observed that the electron spin resonance (ESR) contrast of NV centres increases when the air pressure decreases

  • While more detailed studies are required to fully understand this phenomenon, our observation suggests a potential application of nanodiamond NV centres for oxygen gas sensing

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Summary

Introduction

Electron spins of diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres are important quantum resources for nanoscale sensing and quantum information. With electron spin states accessible by visible lasers and microwave radiation[1,2,3], diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres have broad applications in quantum information[4,5,6] and nanoscale sensing of magnetic field[7,8,9], temperature[10,11], and beyond[12,13] Combining such NV spin systems with mechanical resonators[14,15] will provide a hybrid system with versatile functions[16]. These observed effects are reversible, indicating that nanodiamond NV centres can be used for oxygen gas sensing[13] To better understand this system, we investigate the effects of trapping laser on ESR and measure the absolute temperature of levitated nanodiamonds in vacuum with ESR10,36 after calibration of the strain effect[13]. The ability to remotely measure the internal temperature of a levitated nanodiamond will have applications in investigating non-equilibrium thermodynamics[25,42,43]

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