202 research outputs found
First-principles theory of the luminescence lineshape for the triplet transition in diamond NV centre
In this work we present theoretical calculations and analysis of the vibronic
structure of the spin-triplet optical transition in diamond nitrogen-vacancy
centres. The electronic structure of the defect is described using accurate
first-principles methods based on hybrid functionals. We devise a computational
methodology to determine the coupling between electrons and phonons during an
optical transition in the dilute limit. As a result, our approach yields a
smooth spectral function of electron-phonon coupling and includes both
quasi-localized and bulk phonons on equal footings. The luminescence lineshape
is determined via the generating function approach. We obtain a highly accurate
description of the luminescence band, including all key parameters such as the
Huang-Rhys factor, the Debye-Waller factor, and the frequency of the dominant
phonon mode. More importantly, our work provides insight into the vibrational
structure of nitrogen vacancy centres, in particular the role of local modes
and vibrational resonances. In particular, we find that the pronounced mode at
65 meV is a vibrational resonance, and we quantify localization properties of
this mode. These excellent results for the benchmark diamond nitrogen-vacancy
centre provide confidence that the procedure can be applied to other defects,
including alternative systems that are being considered for applications in
quantum information processing
The Principles of Social Order. Selected Essays of Lon L. Fuller, edited With an introduction by Kenneth I. Winston
The electron spins of semiconductor defects can have complex interactions with their host, particularly in polar materials like SiC where electrical and mechanical variables are intertwined. By combining pulsed spin resonance with ab initio simulations, we show that spin-spin interactions in 4H-SiC neutral divacancies give rise to spin states with a strong Stark effect, sub-10(-6) strain sensitivity, and highly spin-dependent photoluminescence with intensity contrasts of 15%-36%. These results establish SiC color centers as compelling systems for sensing nanoscale electric and strain fields
Polytype control of spin qubits in silicon carbide
Crystal defects can confine isolated electronic spins and are promising
candidates for solid-state quantum information. Alongside research focusing on
nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond, an alternative strategy seeks to identify
new spin systems with an expanded set of technological capabilities, a
materials driven approach that could ultimately lead to "designer" spins with
tailored properties. Here, we show that the 4H, 6H and 3C polytypes of SiC all
host coherent and optically addressable defect spin states, including spins in
all three with room-temperature quantum coherence. The prevalence of this spin
coherence shows that crystal polymorphism can be a degree of freedom for
engineering spin qubits. Long spin coherence times allow us to use double
electron-electron resonance to measure magnetic dipole interactions between
spin ensembles in inequivalent lattice sites of the same crystal. Together with
the distinct optical and spin transition energies of such inequivalent spins,
these interactions provide a route to dipole-coupled networks of separately
addressable spins.Comment: 28 pages, 5 figures, and supplementary information and figure
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Homoepitaxial Growth of Single Crystal Diamond Membranes for Quantum Information Processing
Fabrication of devices designed to fully harness the unique properties of quantum mechanics through their coupling to quantum bits (qubits) is a prominent goal in the field of quantum information processing (QIP). Among various qubit candidates, nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in diamond have recently emerged as an outstanding platform for room temperature QIP. However, formidable challenges still remain in processing diamond and in the fabrication of thin diamond membranes, which are necessary for planar photonic device engineering. Here we demonstrate epitaxial growth of single crystal diamond membranes using a conventional microwave chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. The grown membranes, only a few hundred nanometers thick, show bright luminescence, excellent Raman signature and good NV center electronic spin coherence times. Microdisk cavities fabricated from these membranes exhibit quality factors of up to 3000, overlapping with NV center emission. Our methodology offers a scalable approach for diamond device fabrication for photonics, spintronics, optomechanics and sensing applications.Engineering and Applied Science
Interplay between ferromagnetism, surface states, and quantum corrections in a magnetically doped topological insulator
The breaking of time-reversal symmetry by ferromagnetism is predicted to
yield profound changes to the electronic surface states of a topological
insulator. Here, we report on a concerted set of structural, magnetic,
electrical and spectroscopic measurements of \MBS thin films wherein
photoemission and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism studies have recently shown
surface ferromagnetism in the temperature range 15 K K,
accompanied by a suppressed density of surface states at the Dirac point.
Secondary ion mass spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy reveal an
inhomogeneous distribution of Mn atoms, with a tendency to segregate towards
the sample surface. Magnetometry and anisotropic magnetoresistance measurements
are insensitive to the high temperature ferromagnetism seen in surface studies,
revealing instead a low temperature ferromagnetic phase at K.
The absence of both a magneto-optical Kerr effect and anomalous Hall effect
suggests that this low temperature ferromagnetism is unlikely to be a
homogeneous bulk phase but likely originates in nanoscale near-surface regions
of the bulk where magnetic atoms segregate during sample growth. Although the
samples are not ideal, with both bulk and surface contributions to electron
transport, we measure a magnetoconductance whose behavior is qualitatively
consistent with predictions that the opening of a gap in the Dirac spectrum
drives quantum corrections to the conductance in topological insulators from
the symplectic to the orthogonal class.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev.
Resolving catastrophic error bursts from cosmic rays in large arrays of superconducting qubits
Scalable quantum computing can become a reality with error correction,
provided coherent qubits can be constructed in large arrays. The key premise is
that physical errors can remain both small and sufficiently uncorrelated as
devices scale, so that logical error rates can be exponentially suppressed.
However, energetic impacts from cosmic rays and latent radioactivity violate
both of these assumptions. An impinging particle ionizes the substrate,
radiating high energy phonons that induce a burst of quasiparticles, destroying
qubit coherence throughout the device. High-energy radiation has been
identified as a source of error in pilot superconducting quantum devices, but
lacking a measurement technique able to resolve a single event in detail, the
effect on large scale algorithms and error correction in particular remains an
open question. Elucidating the physics involved requires operating large
numbers of qubits at the same rapid timescales as in error correction, exposing
the event's evolution in time and spread in space. Here, we directly observe
high-energy rays impacting a large-scale quantum processor. We introduce a
rapid space and time-multiplexed measurement method and identify large bursts
of quasiparticles that simultaneously and severely limit the energy coherence
of all qubits, causing chip-wide failure. We track the events from their
initial localised impact to high error rates across the chip. Our results
provide direct insights into the scale and dynamics of these damaging error
bursts in large-scale devices, and highlight the necessity of mitigation to
enable quantum computing to scale
The national portfolio for postgraduate family medicine training in South Africa : a descriptive study of acceptability, educational impact, and usefulness for assessment
Background: Since 2007 a portfolio of learning has become a requirement for assessment of postgraduate family medicine training by the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa. A uniform portfolio of learning has been developed and content validity established among the eight postgraduate programmes. The aim of this study was to investigate the portfolio's acceptability, educational impact, and perceived usefulness for assessment of competence.
Methods: Two structured questionnaires of 35 closed and open-ended questions were delivered to 53 family physician supervisors and 48 registrars who had used the portfolio. Categorical and nominal/ordinal data were analysed using simple descriptive statistics. The open-ended questions were analysed with ATLAS.ti software.
Results: Half of registrars did not find the portfolio clear, practical or feasible. Workshops on portfolio use, learning, and supervision were supported, and brief dedicated time daily for reflection and writing. Most supervisors felt the portfolio reflected an accurate picture of learning, but just over half of registrars agreed. While the portfolio helped with reflection on learning, participants were less convinced about how it helped them plan further learning. Supervisors graded most rotations, suggesting understanding the summative aspect, while only 61% of registrars reflected on rotations, suggesting the formative aspects are not yet optimally utilised. Poor feedback, the need for protected academic time, and pressure of service delivery impacting negatively on learning.
Conclusion: This first introduction of a national portfolio for postgraduate training in family medicine in South Africa faces challenges similar to those in other countries. Acceptability of the portfolio relates to a clear purpose and guide, flexible format with tools available in the workplace, and appreciating the changing educational environment from university-based to national assessments. The role of the supervisor in direct observations of the registrar and dedicated educational meetings, giving feedback and support, cannot be overemphasized
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