Steven Bennett: Using a single spin in diamond as a detector

Abstract:

Single electronic spins associated with nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in
diamond can be used as sensitive magnetometers. In a recent experiment,
a single NV spin was used to probe the thermal motion of a magnetized
cantilever at room temperature, and it is predicted that the same
approach could be used to detect mechanical motion at the level of
single phonons. In this talk I will discuss the sensitivity limits of
this technique. Further, I will discuss measurement backaction, which
can limit the sensitivity but could also be exploited to prepare
nonclassical states of a mechanical oscillator. Beyond sensitive
detection, realizing strong spin-oscillator coupling at the single
phonon level would have implications for quantum information
applications, by allowing long-range coupling between NV centers
mediated by mechanical oscillators. Finally, I will briefly discuss
using a single NV electronic spin to probe distant nuclear spins in the
diamond lattice.