Electronic structure of the silicon vacancy color center in diamond.
The negatively charged silicon vacancy (SiV) color center in diamond has recently proven its suitability for bright and stable single photon emission. However, its electronic structure so far has remained elusive. We here explore the electronic structure by exposing single SiV defects to a magnetic field where the Zeeman effect lifts the degeneracy of magnetic sublevels. The similar responses of single centers and a SiV ensemble in a low strain reference sample prove our ability to fabricate almost perfect single SiVs, revealing the true nature of the defect's electronic properties. We model the electronic states using a group-theoretical approach yielding a good agreement with the experimental observations. Furthermore, the model correctly predicts polarization measurements on single SiV centers and explains recently discovered spin selective excitation of SiV defects.
Fachrichtung 7.2 (Experimentalphysik), Universität des Saarlandes, Campus E2.6, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
Christian
C
Hepp
Atomic, Mesoscopic and Optical Physics Group, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Ave, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom.
Tina
T
Müller
Departmento de Fisica, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile.
Victor
V
Waselowski
Fachrichtung 7.2 (Experimentalphysik), Universität des Saarlandes, Campus E2.6, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
Jonas N
JN
Becker
Atomic, Mesoscopic and Optical Physics Group, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Ave, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom.
Benjamin
B
Pingault
DiaCoating GmbH, Mitterweg 24, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria and Fakultät für Physik, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Strasse 1, 85748 Garching, Germany.
Hadwig
H
Sternschulte
DiaCoating GmbH, Mitterweg 24, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Doris
D
Steinmüller-Nethl
Department of Atomic Physics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary and Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest, Hungary.
Adam
A
Gali
Departmento de Fisica, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile.
Jeronimo R
JR
Maze
Atomic, Mesoscopic and Optical Physics Group, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Ave, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom.
Mete
M
Atatüre
Fachrichtung 7.2 (Experimentalphysik), Universität des Saarlandes, Campus E2.6, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
Christoph
C
Becher