Nature Communications (Jun 2024)

Quantum control and Berry phase of electron spins in rotating levitated diamonds in high vacuum

  • Yuanbin Jin,
  • Kunhong Shen,
  • Peng Ju,
  • Xingyu Gao,
  • Chong Zu,
  • Alejandro J. Grine,
  • Tongcang Li

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49175-3
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Abstract Levitated diamond particles in high vacuum with internal spin qubits have been proposed for exploring macroscopic quantum mechanics, quantum gravity, and precision measurements. The coupling between spins and particle rotation can be utilized to study quantum geometric phase, create gyroscopes and rotational matter-wave interferometers. However, previous efforts in levitated diamonds struggled with vacuum level or spin state readouts. To address these gaps, we fabricate an integrated surface ion trap with multiple stabilization electrodes. This facilitates on-chip levitation and, for the first time, optically detected magnetic resonance measurements of a nanodiamond levitated in high vacuum. The internal temperature of our levitated nanodiamond remains moderate at pressures below 10−5 Torr. We have driven a nanodiamond to rotate up to 20 MHz (1.2 × 109 rpm), surpassing typical nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center electron spin dephasing rates. Using these NV spins, we observe the effect of the Berry phase arising from particle rotation. In addition, we demonstrate quantum control of spins in a rotating nanodiamond. These results mark an important development in interfacing mechanical rotation with spin qubits, expanding our capacity to study quantum phenomena.