Single Electron Spin Decoherence by Nuclear Spin Bath: Linked Cluster Expansion Approach

TL;DR

This paper introduces a theoretical model for understanding how a single electron spin loses coherence due to interactions with a nuclear spin bath, using a linked cluster expansion approach that captures complex nuclear dynamics.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel analytical framework that extends beyond pair correlation models to accurately describe nuclear spin effects on electron spin decoherence.

Findings

Developed a diagrammatic representation for nuclear spin excitation processes.

Derived analytical expressions for electron spin decoherence dynamics.

Applied the model to P donor electron spins in silicon, demonstrating its effectiveness.

Abstract

We develop a theoretical model for transverse dynamics of a single electron spin interacting with a nuclear spin bath. The approach allows a simple diagrammatic representation and analytical expressions of different nuclear spin excitation processes contributing to electron spin decoherence and dynamical phase fluctuations. It accounts for nuclear spin dynamics beyond conventional pair correlation models. As an illustration of the theory, we evaluated the coherence dynamics of a P donor electron spin in a Si crystal.