Optimal optical polarization of nitrogen-vacancy center with arbitrary waveform pulse

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel pulsed-light polarization technique for nitrogen-vacancy centers that optimizes polarization efficiency and speed using a variable optical pumping rate and waveform optimization, verified experimentally.

Contribution

It proposes a new waveform-based polarization method that enhances NV center polarization efficiency and reduces polarization time, expanding quantum sensing applications.

Findings

Polarization index improved by ~10%

Optimal waveform achieves high polarizability and short polarization time

Experimental verification confirms theoretical predictions

Abstract

The current work proposes a method for pulsed-light polarization of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center electron spin. To evaluate the influence of pulsed spin polarization, we establish a polarization evaluation index based on polarizability and polarization time. Master equation model are utilized to theoretically calculate the spin polarization dynamics under light excitation and the optimal polarization conditions for the conventional methods are obtained. A novel pulsed-light polarization method is proposed by changing the optical pumping rate in the master equation from a fixed value to a time variable and an optimal waveform for proposed method is demonstrated through the variational method, which can simultaneously achieve high polarizability and requires a short polarization time. Hence, the polarization evaluation index is improved by ~10%. Moreover, the proposed method is verified by a pulsed-laser experimental system based on an arbitrary waveform generator. The current report shall expand the application horizon of NV center based quantum sensing.