RF-free driving of nuclear spins with color centers in silicon carbide

RF-free driving of nuclear spins with color centers in silicon carbide | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article RF-free driving of nuclear spins with color centers in silicon carbide Raphael Wörnle, Jonathan Körber, Timo Steidl, Georgy V. Astakhov, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8699144/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Color centers that enable nuclear-spin control without RF fields offer a powerful route towards simplified and scalable quantum devices. Such capabilities are especially valuable for quantum sensing and computing platforms that already find applications in biology, materials science, and geophysics. A key challenge is the coherent manipulation of nearby nuclear spins, which serve as quantum memories and auxiliary qubits but conventionally require additional high-power RF fields which increase the experimental complexity and overall power consumption. Finding systems where both electron and nuclear spins can be controlled using a single MW source is therefore highly desirable. Here, using a modified divacancy center in silicon carbide, we show that coherent control of a coupled nuclear spin is possible without any RF fields. Instead, MW pulses driving the electron spin also manipulate the nuclear spin through hyperfine-enhanced effects, activated by a precisely tilted external magnetic field. We demonstrate high-fidelity nuclear-spin control, achieving 89% two-qubit tomography fidelity and nearly T1-limited nuclear coherence times. This approach offers a simplified and scalable route for future quantum applications. Physical sciences/Materials science Physical sciences/Physics Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files SupplPL6NuclearDriving.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 14 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 01 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 04 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 04 Mar, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 04 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 29 Jan, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 29 Jan, 2026 First submitted to journal 26 Jan, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8699144","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":601267753,"identity":"65186667-8eff-48cd-85a5-99a7bf0da85d","order_by":0,"name":"Raphael Wörnle","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABX0lEQVRIie2RP2vCQBTAXziIywXXE8V8hRMhsSD6VVICumi1uAgtNRBIltBZKKVfIU6tWyRwLnF3FFxtEVyk2D8528aTUroWmh/ccX/ej/fuHkBKyt9Ejkflc92FIqBMEK/IUQz9rpDkqgwIGx8nMkgWt/EvyqmVBPyg6O6MLbZ9AnRqs02XVpv3GTCQ8lAB9c7Tl+vnWqcOaLQ4KIXorFnyoliJmHkzpI322JYCpPAThkvW5No88UDuCWkItDSiOAS0eauMMA3bfsizOGTgy1zxEMWANeE3SHal5V5eudLZxMpbk4ZAuQKqs1cGXNG3gkJaWl6x9llQrARGogAvLNiG+ywgKk+NfIERXI8YL8wsjW1sTG4d/pbG+XBmTSkO5d5RYW2WW11WiznXXiLcr6l6djpZPDpXoNqhv+7vLmjGtUdrsS1YmL8aHSQ7yYkndNxIIfigCOwgJSUl5d/zDid8cRj/yPzPAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"University of Stuttgart","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Raphael","middleName":"","lastName":"Wörnle","suffix":""},{"id":601267754,"identity":"05f21082-92ca-44e0-ad9d-05fe9d2a1f03","order_by":1,"name":"Jonathan Körber","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Stuttgart","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jonathan","middleName":"","lastName":"Körber","suffix":""},{"id":601267755,"identity":"0e3b51fd-78fd-476e-98d9-b6805ef6b63b","order_by":2,"name":"Timo Steidl","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Stuttgart","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Timo","middleName":"","lastName":"Steidl","suffix":""},{"id":601267756,"identity":"2193eccd-4a1f-4067-ac3d-24b3c588b4e3","order_by":3,"name":"Georgy V. Astakhov","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Georgy","middleName":"V.","lastName":"Astakhov","suffix":""},{"id":601267757,"identity":"00735ca1-c686-4698-90ae-587642d28478","order_by":4,"name":"Durga B. R. Dasari","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Stuttgart","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Durga","middleName":"B. R.","lastName":"Dasari","suffix":""},{"id":601267758,"identity":"51fca551-3020-4b7c-ae82-5956de8ccbc2","order_by":5,"name":"Florian Kaiser","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Florian","middleName":"","lastName":"Kaiser","suffix":""},{"id":601267759,"identity":"4fe5f95e-5315-43f6-9775-11ea5bd8dd27","order_by":6,"name":"Vadim Vorobyov","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Stuttgart","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Vadim","middleName":"","lastName":"Vorobyov","suffix":""},{"id":601267760,"identity":"b4947d74-1de5-4a32-89d1-442f02340554","order_by":7,"name":"Jörg Wrachtrup","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Stuttgart","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jörg","middleName":"","lastName":"Wrachtrup","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-26 10:23:24","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8699144/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8699144/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":104405885,"identity":"2b6add74-7924-41df-a399-2df9fb1c17c6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-11 12:24:04","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2133578,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"PL6NuclearDrivingManuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8699144/v1_covered_d64876e4-7425-431c-920d-92bfd35193e1.pdf"},{"id":104347060,"identity":"aa0f873f-6ca4-4a73-897c-2fe58c842f2f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-10 18:02:55","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":1932561,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"SupplPL6NuclearDriving.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8699144/v1/7e1c703750ca6317d11d3348.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"RF-free driving of nuclear spins with color centers in silicon carbide","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"npj-quantum-information","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"npjqi","sideBox":"Learn more about [npj Quantum Information](http://www.nature.com/npjqi/)","snPcode":"41534","submissionUrl":"https://mts-npjqi.nature.com/","title":"npj Quantum Information","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"NPJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8699144/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8699144/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Color centers that enable nuclear-spin control without RF fields offer a powerful route towards simplified and scalable quantum devices. Such capabilities are especially valuable for quantum sensing and computing platforms that already find applications in biology, materials science, and geophysics. A key challenge is the coherent manipulation of nearby nuclear spins, which serve as quantum memories and auxiliary qubits but conventionally require additional high-power RF fields which increase the experimental complexity and overall power consumption. Finding systems where both electron and nuclear spins can be controlled using a single MW source is therefore highly desirable. Here, using a modified divacancy center in silicon carbide, we show that coherent control of a coupled nuclear spin is possible without any RF fields. Instead, MW pulses driving the electron spin also manipulate the nuclear spin through hyperfine-enhanced effects, activated by a precisely tilted external magnetic field. We demonstrate high-fidelity nuclear-spin control, achieving 89% two-qubit tomography fidelity and nearly T1-limited nuclear coherence times. This approach offers a simplified and scalable route for future quantum applications.","manuscriptTitle":"RF-free driving of nuclear spins with color centers in silicon carbide","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-03-10 18:02:50","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8699144/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-04-14T20:49:18+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-13T14:18:11+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-01T19:09:59+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"67313215090657644290509505348608059327","date":"2026-03-05T00:22:36+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"67828680843050471721086318778796243930","date":"2026-03-04T20:22:14+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-03-04T20:17:04+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-01-30T04:57:59+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-01-30T04:55:25+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"npj Quantum Information","date":"2026-01-26T10:09:19+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"npj-quantum-information","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"npjqi","sideBox":"Learn more about [npj Quantum Information](http://www.nature.com/npjqi/)","snPcode":"41534","submissionUrl":"https://mts-npjqi.nature.com/","title":"npj Quantum Information","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"NPJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"271aa59c-eb10-4d87-a1d0-6e65337bec27","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 10th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[{"id":63990275,"name":"Physical sciences/Materials science"},{"id":63990276,"name":"Physical sciences/Physics"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-29T07:39:18+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-03-10 18:02:50","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8699144","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8699144","identity":"rs-8699144","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}