Hyperfine and nuclear quadrupole splitting of the NV- ground state in 4H-SiC

Optically addressable spin-triplet defects in silicon carbide, such as divacancies and negatively charged nitrogen vacancy (NV-) allow to develop modern quantum technologies operating in the near-infrared range based on the well-developed semiconductor material. Here, by means of both high-frequency (94 GHz) pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron-nuclear double Rresonance (ENDOR) techniques the ground state properties of the negatively charged NV- defect in 4H-SiC were studied. We experimentally determined the ordering of the ground state spin sublevels and established the sign of the zero-field splitting to be positive as predicted by theory. Analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance transitions in ENDOR spectra allowed to determine the sign, symmetry, and absolute values of the hyperfine interaction of the NV- defect electron spin with N-14 nuclear spin as A(vertical bar vertical bar) = -1.142 MHz and A(perpendicular to) = -1.184 MHz. The absolute value of the nuclear quadrupole interaction constant reflecting an interaction between the N-14 nuclear electric quadrupole moment with the electric field gradient was determined to be vertical bar C-q vertical bar = 2.44 MHz. This large value is compatible with a threefold coordinated 14N nucleus with uniaxial symmetry and proves conclusively the existence of a nearestneighbor NcVsj pair in the material. For this NV-defect, an ensemble (Hahn-echo) coherence time of T-2 = 49 mu s was measured, a value which is in the range previously reported for silicon vacancy spin ensembles and slightly longer than T-2 = 40 mu s measured here on the divacancy spin ensemble.

Automated summary

The ground state properties and nuclear magnetic resonance transitions of the negatively charged NV- defect in 4H-SiC were studied using high-frequency pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance and electron-nuclear double resonance techniques. The results confirmed the predicted sign of the zero-field splitting and provided insight into the hyperfine interaction of the defect electron spin with nuclear spins. The measurements also demonstrated the existence and characteristics of the nearest-neighbor NcVsj pair in the material.