Lab exchange grant: Exploring Quantum Many Body dynamics using dense ensembles of NVs in diamond

A diamond worked on during the visit

David O’Shea a PhD student at the University of Cambridge was awarded an M4QN laboratory exchange award to visit the Diamond Group at Warwick University. The visit took place from 6th-12th April 2025.

The purpose of the visit

David visited the group in Warwick to learn about, and take part in the production of a diamond sample that can be used to explore many body quantum physics. During the first 3 days he worked with a postdoc, Anjana, to go through the steps for this. They initially looked at the diamond sample prep and cleaning, followed by implantation of nitrogen ions into the surface using a focused ion beam. Through annealing in a vacuum furnace these nitrogen ions pair with vacancies in the diamond lattice, to form dense ensembles of NVs. They then measured different properties of these ensembles, such as emission spectra and background nitrogen density. David also got to learn about other experiments that the group completes, and on the final day gave a talk on his research.

Benefits to the UK materials and quantum community

David writes “During the visit I was able to develop an understanding of not just how my samples are produced and used, but also other applications of diamond based engineering. The sample I have been able to get from the trip will prove very important for the development of analogue solid state quantum simulators, which are generally still in their infancy. Analogue quantum simulators are vitally important for the understanding of complex many body systems that cannot be simulated using a classical computer, such as highly disordered spin systems. NVs prove to be one of many potential platforms for this.”

Visit outcomes

The NV ensembles fabricated on the trip will go towards David’s research on dimensionality tuning in spin ensembles, and the eventual goal of a tunable analogue solid state quantum simulator. David writes “In the future I will continue working with the team in Warwick to improve the fabrication process based on measurements I am able to take with the sample, as well as characterisation other similar samples produced using other methods. I was able to consolidate these links and plans during the visit.”