Experimental implementation of assisted quantum adiabatic passage in a single spin

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates accelerated quantum adiabatic passage in a single NV center spin using counter-diabatic control fields, including a novel rapid-scan approach for faster resonance crossing.

Contribution

It experimentally implements and compares two counter-diabatic control schemes on a single spin, introducing a rapid-scan method for improved speed and applicability.

Findings

Successful implementation of counter-diabatic control in a single NV center

Demonstration of a phase-varying control field for faster adiabatic passage

Potential for applications in systems with short decoherence times

Abstract

Quantum adiabatic passages can be greatly accelerated by a suitable control field, called a counter-diabatic field, which varies during the scan through resonance. Here, we implement this technique on the electron spin of a single nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond. We demonstrate two versions of this scheme. The first follows closely the procedure originally proposed by Demirplak and Rice (J. Phys. Chem. A 107, 9937 (2003)). In the second scheme, we use a control field whose amplitude is constant, but its phase varies with time. This version, which we call the rapid-scan approach, allows an even faster passage through resonance and therefore makes it applicable also for systems with shorter decoherence times.