Nitrogen-Vacancy Emission from Nanodiamonds: Size, Depth, and Surroundings

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2508.08565v1
• Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2025 02:08:35 GMT
• Title: Nitrogen-Vacancy Emission from Nanodiamonds: Size, Depth, and Surroundings
• Authors: Harini Hapuarachchi, Francesco Campaioli, Jared H Cole, Andrew D Greentree, Qiang Sun,
• Abstract summary: negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond is a leading solid-state quantum emitter.<n> embedding them in nanodiamonds introduces complexities from size, geometry, and surface effects.<n>We present a hybrid framework coupling rigorous electromagnetic simulations with a quantum-optical NV model.
• Score: 1.7857381140624573
• License: http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/
• Abstract: The negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond is a leading solid-state quantum emitter, offering spin-photon interfaces over a wide temperature range with applications from electromagnetic sensing to bioimaging. While NV centers in bulk diamond are well understood, embedding them in nanodiamonds (NDs) introduces complexities from size, geometry, and surface effects. NVs in NDs show altered fluorescence properties including longer lifetimes, lower quantum efficiency, and higher sensitivity to dielectric surroundings, which arise from radiative suppression, surface-induced non-radiative decay, and total internal reflection. Prior models typically addressed isolated aspects, such as dielectric contrast or surface quenching, without integrating full quantum-optical NV behavior with classical electrodynamics. We present a hybrid framework coupling rigorous electromagnetic simulations with a quantum-optical NV model including phonon sideband dynamics. NV emission is found to depend strongly on ND size, NV position, and surrounding refractive index. Our results explain observations such as shallow NVs in water-coated NDs appearing brighter than deeper ones in air and provide a unified framework for realistic emission scenarios. Unlike previous models, our approach predicts wavelength-dependent escape efficiencies and position-dependent variations. This integrated model informs the design of brighter NV-based sensors and quantum devices, advancing understanding of quantum emitter photophysics in nanoscale dielectrics.

Related papers

• Modelling and experimental verification of photoelectrical response of NV diamond spin centres [0.01816555059276168]
  We report on a mathematical model of the photoelectric response of NV colour centres in diamond.<n>We include the drift and collection of charge carriers as well as the presence of other defects via generation and recombination dynamics.<n>The model is confirmed experimentally and can become a useful tool for optimisation of the performance of NV qubit photoelectric readout.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-11-24T18:53:51Z)
• Zero-field identification and control of hydrogen-related electron-nuclear spin registers in diamond [73.17247851945764]
  We introduce an approach to identify the hyperfine components and nuclear spin species of spin defects through measurements on a nearby NV center.<n>Results provide a guide to resolving the defect structures using $textitab initio$ calculations.<n>Our characterization and control tools establish a framework to expand the defect landscape for hybrid electron-nuclear registers.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-10-22T13:50:54Z)
• Dielectric Fano Nanoantennas for Enabling Sub-Nanosecond Lifetimes in NV-based Single Photon Emitters [10.310350757094405]
  Dielectric nanoantennas provide strong emission enhancement compared to plasmonic ones. Interfaced emitters have a Purcell enhancement factor of 10, with sub-ns emission lifetime and a polarization contrast of 9.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2024-07-03T11:15:59Z)
• Site-Controlled Purcell-Induced Bright Single Photon Emitters in Hexagonal Boron Nitride [62.170141783047974]
  Single photon emitters hosted in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are essential building blocks for quantum photonic technologies that operate at room temperature. We experimentally demonstrate large-area arrays of plasmonic nanoresonators for Purcell-induced site-controlled SPEs. Our results offer arrays of bright, heterogeneously integrated quantum light sources, paving the way for robust and scalable quantum information systems.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2024-05-03T23:02:30Z)
• Control of an environmental spin defect beyond the coherence limit of a central spin [79.16635054977068]
  We present a scalable approach to increase the size of electronic-spin registers. We experimentally realize this approach to demonstrate the detection and coherent control of an unknown electronic spin outside the coherence limit of a central NV. Our work paves the way for engineering larger quantum spin registers with the potential to advance nanoscale sensing, enable correlated noise spectroscopy for error correction, and facilitate the realization of spin-chain quantum wires for quantum communication.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-06-29T17:55:16Z)
• Mitigation of Nitrogen Vacancy Ionization from Material Integration for Quantum Sensing [0.0]
  The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color center in diamond has demonstrated great promise in a wide range of quantum sensing. The insulating layer of alumina between the metal and diamond provide improved photoluminescence and higher sensitivity in all modes of sensing.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-04-13T03:10:53Z)
• Simulation of ODMR Spectra from Nitrogen-Vacancy Ensembles in Diamond for Electric Field Sensing [0.0]
  We present an open source simulation tool that models the influence of arbitrary electric and magnetic fields on the electronic and nuclear spin states of NV ensembles. Specifically, the code computes the transition strengths and predicts the sensitivity under shot-noise-limited optically-detected magnetic resonance. We show that our code can be used to optimize sensitivity in situations where usual arguments based on neglecting terms in the full Hamiltonian would give sub-optimal results.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-01-10T18:16:12Z)
• All-Optical Nuclear Quantum Sensing using Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Diamond [52.77024349608834]
  Microwave or radio-frequency driving poses a significant limitation for miniaturization, energy-efficiency and non-invasiveness of quantum sensors. We overcome this limitation by demonstrating a purely optical approach to coherent quantum sensing. Our results pave the way for highly compact quantum sensors to be employed for magnetometry or gyroscopy applications.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2022-12-14T08:34:11Z)
• Enhancement of spin-to-charge conversion of diamond NV centers at ambient conditions using surface electrodes [0.0]
  We present a new mechanism for high contrast readout using the spin-to-charge conversion mechanism. The technique opens up a range of alternative research pathways for the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2022-09-28T11:40:21Z)
• Laser threshold magnetometry using green light absorption by diamond nitrogen vacancies in an external cavity laser [52.77024349608834]
  Nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in diamond have attracted considerable recent interest for use in quantum sensing. We show theoretical sensitivity to magnetic field on the pT/sqrt(Hz) level is possible using a diamond with an optimal density of NV centers.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2021-01-22T18:58:05Z)
• Photophysics of single nitrogen-vacancy centers in nanodiamonds coupled to photonic crystal cavities [0.0]
  We modify the internal quantum efficiency of a single NV center in a nanodiamond coupled to a 1D photonic crystal cavity. We find that the enhancement of the radiative decay rate via the Purcell effect results in an internal quantum efficiency of 90 %. Our findings will facilitate the realization of nano-scale single photon sources with near-unity internal quantum efficiencies operating at high repetition rates.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-11-22T21:29:45Z)
• Directional emission of down-converted photons from a dielectric nano-resonator [55.41644538483948]
  We theoretically describe the generation of photon pairs in the process of spontaneous parametric down-conversion. We reveal that highly directional photon-pair generation can be observed utilising the nonlinear Kerker-type effect.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-11-16T10:30:04Z)
• Inverse-designed photon extractors for optically addressable defect qubits [48.7576911714538]
  Inverse-design optimization of photonic devices enables unprecedented flexibility in tailoring critical parameters of a spin-photon interface. Inverse-designed devices will enable realization of scalable arrays of single-photon emitters, rapid characterization of new quantum emitters, sensing and efficient heralded entanglement schemes.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-07-24T04:30:14Z)

This list is automatically generated from the titles and abstracts of the papers in this site.

This site does not guarantee the quality of this site (including all information) and is not responsible for any consequences.