We articulate confocal microscopy and electron spin resonance to implement spin-to-charge conversion in a small ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in bulk diamond, and demonstrate charge conversion of neighboring defects conditional on the NV spin state. We build on this observation to show time-resolved NV spin manipulation and ancilla-charge-aided NV spin state detection via integrated measurements. Our results hint at intriguing opportunities in the development of novel measurement strategies in fundamental science and quantum spintronics as well as in the search for enhanced forms of color-center-based metrology down to the limit of individual point defects.

Tom completed his PhD at ENS Paris, under the supervision of Gabriel Hétet. His work focused on the observation of spin-mechanical effects in trapped nanodiamonds, for which he was recognized by the French Physical Society as the second best in the Saint-Gobain-SFP competition for young researchers. Congratulations, Tom!

While the study of space charge potentials has a long history, present models are largely based on the notion of steady state equilibrium, ill-suited to describe wide-bandgap semiconductors with moderate to low concentrations of defects. Here we build on color centers in diamond both to locally inject carriers into the crystal and probe their evolution as they propagate in the presence of external and internal potentials. We witness the formation of metastable charge patterns whose shape — and concomitant field — can be engineered through the timing of carrier injection and applied voltages. With the help of previously crafted charge patterns, we unveil a rich interplay between local and extended sources of space charge field, which we then exploit to show space-charge-induced carrier guiding.

An expert on scanning probe microscopy, Sara joined our group this past October as a postdoctoral fellow. She graduated this summer from Ohio State University, where she worked under the supervision of Jay Gupta. Her thesis focused on the use of scanning tunneling microscopy to investigate 2D materials.