Fast optical modulation of the fluorescence from a single nitrogen–vacancy centre

Abstract

The much sought after optical transistor --the photonic counterpart of the electronic transistor-- is poised to become a central ingredient in the development of optical signal processing. The motivation for using photons rather than electrons not only comes from their faster dynamics but also from their lower crosstalk and minor environmental decoherence, which enable a high degree of integration and the realization of quantum operations. A single-molecule transistor has been recently demonstrated at cryogenic temperatures. Here, we demonstrate that a single NV centre at room temperature can operate as an optical switch under non-resonant CW illumination. We show optical modulation of more than 80% and time response faster than 100 ns in the green-laser-driven fluorescence signal, which we control through an independent near-infrared (NIR) gating laser. Our study indicates that the NIR laser triggers a fast-decay channel of the NV mediated by promotion of the excited state to a dark band. This simple concept opens a new approach towards the implementation of nanoscale optical switching devices.