Coherent Control and Magnetic Detection of Divacancy Spins in Silicon Carbide at High Pressures

Spin defects in silicon carbide appear to be a promising tool for various quantum technologies, especially for quantum sensing. However, this technique has been used only at ambient pressure until now. Here, by combining this technique with diamond anvil cell, we systematically study the optical and spin properties of divacancy defects created at the surface of SiC at pressures up to 40 GPa. The zero-field-splitting of the divacancy spins increases linearly with pressure with a slope of 25.1 MHz/GPa, which is almost two-times larger than that of nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond. The corresponding pressure sensing sensitivity is about 0.28 MPa/Hz(-1/2). The coherent control of divacancy demonstrates that coherence time decreases as pressure increases. Based on these, the pressure-induced magnetic phase transition of Nd2Fe14B sample at high pressures was detected. These experiments pave the way to use divacancy in quantum technologies such as pressure sensing and magnetic detection at high pressures.

Automated summary

By combining spin defects in silicon carbide with diamond anvil cell, the optical and spin properties of divacancy defects were studied at high pressures, and a pressure-induced magnetic phase transition was detected.