Multi-species optically addressable spin defects in a van der Waals material
Sam C. Scholten, Priya Singh, Alexander J. Healey, Islay O. Robertson, Galya Haim, Cheng Tan, David A. Broadway, Lan Wang, Hiroshi Abe, Takeshi Ohshima, Mehran Kianinia, Philipp Reineck, Igor Aharonovich, Jean‐Philippe Tetienne
Abstract
Optically addressable spin defects hosted in two-dimensional van der Waals materials represent a new frontier for quantum technologies, promising to lead to a new class of ultrathin quantum sensors and simulators. Recently, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has been shown to host several types of optically addressable spin defects, thus offering a unique opportunity to simultaneously address and utilise various spin species in a single material. Here we demonstrate an interplay between two separate spin species within a single hBN crystal, namely S = 1 boron vacancy defects and carbon-related electron spins. We reveal the S = 1/2 character of the carbon-related defect and further demonstrate room temperature coherent control and optical readout of both S = 1 and S = 1/2 spin species. By tuning the two spin ensembles into resonance with each other, we observe cross-relaxation indicating strong inter-species dipolar coupling. We then demonstrate magnetic imaging using the S = 1/2 defects and leverage their lack of intrinsic quantization axis to probe the magnetic anisotropy of a test sample. Our results establish hBN as a versatile platform for quantum technologies in a van der Waals host at room temperature. The 2D material hBN hosts various optically addressable spin defects, promising for quantum technology applications. Here the authors report the co-existence of spin-1 and spin-1/2 defects in hBN, show their room temperature coherent control and optical readout, as well as cross-relaxation.