Revisiting superradiance dynamics from single diamond nanocrystals with a physically consistent model for fluorescence decay

TL;DR

This paper develops a physically consistent model for fluorescence decay in diamond nanocrystals exhibiting superradiance, addressing previous inconsistencies and aligning theoretical predictions with experimental observations.

Contribution

The authors create a revised theoretical framework for superradiance in diamond nanocrystals, correcting prior models to produce physically meaningful results.

Findings

The new model accurately reproduces experimental fluorescence decay data.

Previous models yielded non-physical results like negative photon counts.

The revised framework aligns theoretical predictions with observed superradiance phenomena.

Abstract

The paper by C. Bradac et al. [Nat. Commun. 8, 1205 (2017)] discusses room-temperature superradiance from NV color centers in diamonds. It presents a new model intended to reflect experimental characteristics of this phenomenon. To validate the model, the authors provide experimental results that are subsequently compared with numerical calculations derived from the scheme. Motivated by our own experiments with the fluorescence of similar NV samples, we attempted to create a theoretical model to accurately describe experimental systems. Initially, we aimed to incorporate the numerical equations from Bradac et al.'s paper's supplement into our own theoretical framework. However, we encountered numerous issues resulting in non-physical results such as negative photon counts or non-zero asymptotic fluorescence intensity. We identified these inconsistencies and proposed amendments to rectify them. We have developed our own framework by correctly reinterpreting the terms of the master equation. The resulting formulas produce physically meaningful results consistent with experimental data.