Coherent storage of photoexcited triplet states using 29Si nuclear spins in silicon

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates nearly complete electron spin polarization in photoexcited silicon triplet states and achieves coherent transfer of this state to nearby 29Si nuclear spins, with nuclear coherence unaffected by the electron spin.

Contribution

It introduces a method to coherently store and transfer triplet electron spin states to silicon nuclear spins, enhancing quantum information applications in silicon.

Findings

Achieved nearly 100% electron spin polarization in silicon triplet states.

Demonstrated coherent transfer of spin states between electron and nuclear spins.

Nuclear coherence times remain unaffected by the electron spin presence.

Abstract

Pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of the photoexcited, metastable triplet state of the oxygen-vacancy center in silicon reveals that the lifetime of the ms = \pm1 sub-levels differ significantly from that of the ms =0 state. We exploit this significant difference in decay rates to the ground singlet state to achieve nearly ~100% electron spin polarization within the triplet. We further demonstrate the transfer of a coherent state of the triplet electron spin to, and from, a hyperfine-coupled, nearest-neighbor 29Si nuclear spin. We measure the coherence time of the 29 Si nuclear spin employed in this operation and find it to be unaffected by the presence of the triplet electron spin and equal to the bulk value measured by nuclear magnetic resonance.