Voltage detected single spin dynamics in diamond at ambient conditions

Nat. Commun. 16, 3518 (2025) · DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58635-3

License: CC BY 4.0.

Abstract

Defect centres in crystals like diamond or silicon find a wide application in quantum technology, where the detection and control of their quantum states is crucial for their implementation as quantum sensors and qubits. The quantum information is usually encoded in the spin state of these defect centres, but they also often possess a charge which is typically not utilized. We report here the detection of elementary charges bound to single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres several nanometres below the diamond surface using Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM) under laser illumination. Moreover, the measured signal depends on the NV’s electron spin state, thus allowing to perform a non-optical single spin readout, a technique we refer to as “Surface Voltage Detected Magnetic Resonance” (SVDMR). Our method opens a way of coherent spin dynamics detection for quantum sensing applications and could be potentially applied to other solid state systems. We believe that this voltage-based readout would help to simplify the design of devices for quantum technology.

Figures

7 panels with data across 2 figures. Each panel page shows the plot, its columns and its files; each data.csv begins with a header naming the paper, the panel, the source, the license and the provenance route.

Fig. 1

Illustrative figure, no extractable data. Shown in the paper PDF.

Fig. 2

• panel (a): Photoluminescence (PL) image of single NV centres, PL (kcps) against scan position $X$ and $Y$ ($\mu$m). Colour scale 0 to 175 kcps as printed, so the brightest pixels saturate. The print's dashed electrode line, circles and scale bar are not drawn; the print has no axis ticks. data.csv
• panel (b): Photovoltage (PV) image recorded simultaneously with (a), PV (V) against scan position $X$ and $Y$ ($\mu$m); positive PV brown, negative blue, zero white. The print's dashed electrode line, cantilever triangle, circles and scale bar are not drawn; the print has no axis ticks. data.csv
• panel (c): $PV_{NV}$ image obtained by fitting the PV image (b), $PV_{NV}$ (V) against scan position $X$ and $Y$ ($\mu$m). The print's circles and scale bar are not drawn; the print has no axis ticks. data.csv

Fig. 3

• panel (a): SVDMR spectrum of a single NV centre: $\Delta PV^{MR}$ (mV) against MW frequency (GHz), data (blue points) with SD error bars over accumulations and a Lorentzian fit (brown line). Right axis: contrast (%), as printed. data.csv
• panel (b): Rabi oscillations of a single NV centre detected in PV: $\Delta PV^{Rabi}$ (mV) against MW pulse length (ns), data (blue points) with SD error bars over accumulations and a sinusoidal fit (brown line). Right axis: contrast (%), as printed. data.csv
• panel (c): ODMR spectrum of the same NV centre as (a): $\Delta PL^{MR}$ (kcps) against MW frequency (GHz), data (blue points) with SD error bars over accumulations and a Lorentzian fit (brown line). Right axis: contrast (%), as printed. data.csv
• panel (d): Optically detected Rabi oscillations of the same NV centre as (b): $\Delta PL^{Rabi}$ (kcps) against MW pulse length (ns), data (blue points) with SD error bars over accumulations and a sinusoidal fit (brown line). Right axis: contrast (%), as printed. data.csv

Fig. 4

Illustrative figure, no extractable data. Shown in the paper PDF.

Cite

Sergei Trofimov, Klaus Lips, Boris Naydenov. Voltage detected single spin dynamics in diamond at ambient conditions. Nat. Commun. 16, 3518 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58635-3

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