Photocatalytic Control of Diamond Color Center Charge States via Surface Oxidation

TL;DR

This paper presents a laser-induced oxidation technique to precisely and efficiently control the charge states of diamond color centers, enhancing their utility in quantum technologies.

Contribution

It introduces a deterministic, nonvolatile surface oxidation method for tuning diamond surface chemistry and charge states using laser irradiation, with insights into the underlying microscopic mechanism.

Findings

Laser-induced oxidation effectively tunes diamond surface termination.

Charge cycling of native defects drives the oxidation process.

Method is broadly applicable to other color centers and materials.

Abstract

Color center spins in diamond nanostructures are a key resource for emerging quantum technologies. Their innate surface proximity makes precise control of diamond surface chemistry essential for optimizing their functionality and charge states. However, conventional surface functionalization methods typically lack the tunability and efficiency required for robust charge-state control. Here, we introduce a deterministic, nonvolatile technique for continuously and efficiently tuning diamond's surface termination via laser-induced oxidation of H-terminated diamond nanopillars. By tracking SiV$^-$ photoluminescence as a charge-state proxy, we uncover the microscopic mechanism of this photocatalytic process through a systematic photon-flux and -energy analysis, where we identify charge-cycling of native defects as sources of optically generated holes driving the desired surface oxidation. Our results suggest that our method applies broadly to other color centers and host materials, offering a versatile tool for on-demand charge-state control and surface engineering in solid-state quantum devices.