Single-shot readout and weak measurement of a tin-vacancy qubit in diamond

The negatively charged tin-vacancy (SnV-) center in diamond is a promising platform for building the next generation of quantum networks due to its bright, stable optical transitions and long spin coherence [1]. Here we study readout of the SnV- center’s spin state including a demonstration of single-shot spin readout combined with coherent microwave spin control [2]. We then use the SnV- to study weak quantum measurement, demonstrating the fundamental interplay between measurement and dephasing, and, introducing a metrological tool to study interaction between the qubit and excitation laser. Together, these results overcome important hurdles in the development of SnV- based quantum technologies, and introduce techniques widely applicable to the study of related solid-state atomic systems.



[1] Rosenthal et al., Phys. Rev. X 13, 031022 (2023)

[2] Rosenthal & Biswas et al., Phys. Rev. X 14, 041008 (2024)