Efficient Extraction of Light from a Nitrogen-Vacancy Center in a Diamond Parabolic Reflector

TL;DR

This paper introduces a monolithic parabolic reflector design that significantly improves photon extraction efficiency from nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond, enhancing quantum emitter performance for quantum technologies.

Contribution

The study presents the design, simulation, and experimental validation of a novel parabolic reflector geometry for efficient broadband photon extraction from NV centers in diamond.

Findings

Photon collection efficiency exceeds 75% in simulations.

Experimental devices achieve 48% photon extraction efficiency.

Fluorescence detection rates reach up to 5.7 million counts per second.

Abstract

Quantum emitters in solids are being developed for a range of quantum technologies, including quantum networks, computing, and sensing. However, a remaining challenge is the poor photon collection due to the high refractive index of most host materials. Here we overcome this limitation by introducing monolithic parabolic reflectors as an efficient geometry for broadband photon extraction from quantum emitter and experimentally demonstrate this device for the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond. Simulations indicate a photon collection efficiency exceeding 75% across the visible spectrum and experimental devices, fabricated using a high-throughput gray-scale lithography process, demonstrate a photon extraction efficiency of $(48\pm 5)$%. This device enables a raw experimental efficiency of $(12\pm 2)$\% with fluorescence detection rates as high as $(4.6 - 5.7)\times 10^6$ counts per second from a single NV center.