Optical Stability and Photophysics of NV Centers in Diamond up to 120 GPa

Abstract

The nitrogen vacancy (NV) center has emerged as a powerful quantum sensor in high-pressure research, with the observation of optically detected magnetic resonance at megabar pressures. However, some aspects of NV physics require further investigation to optimize the development of NV-based sensing under pressure. Here, we study both experimentally and theoretically the optical properties of the NV center under hydrostatic pressure. We investigate the evolution of the zero-phonon line (ZPL) position, radiative lifetimes, optical lineshapes, and photoionization thresholds of the NV center under pressures up to ~120 GPa. We also provide spectroscopic guidelines for performing high-pressure optical experiments. Our results confirm that the NV center remains a robust quantum sensor under extreme hydrostatic pressures, especially for magnetic characterization.