Fast all-optical nuclear spin echo technique based on EIT

Abstract

We demonstrate an all-optical Raman spin echo technique, using electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) to create the pulses required for a spin echo sequence: initialization, pi-rotation, and readout. The first pulse of the sequence induces coherence directly from a mixed state, and the technique is used to measure the nuclear spin coherence of an inhomogeneously broadened ensemble of rare-earth ions (Pr^{3 +}) in a crystal. The rephasing pi-rotation is shown to offer an advantage of combining the rephasing action with the operation of a phase gate, particularly useful in e.g. dynamic decoupling sequences. In contrast to many previous experiments the sequence does not require any preparatory hole burning, which greatly shortens the total duration of the sequence. The effect of the different pulses is characterized by quantum state tomography and compared with simulations. We demonstrate two applications of the technique: compensating the magnetic field across our sample by monitoring T ₂ reductions from stray magnetic fields, and measuring coherence times at temperatures up to 11 K, where standard preparation techniques are difficult to implement. We explore the potential of the technique, in particular for systems with much shorter T ₂, and other possible applications.

Graphical abstract