Probing Spin Defects via Single Spin Relaxometry

Probing Spin Defects via Single Spin Relaxometry | 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 Probing Spin Defects via Single Spin Relaxometry Huan Zhao, Alex Melendez, Yueh-Chun Wu, Steven Randolph, Sujoy Ghosh, and 7 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6460482/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 10 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Nature Communications → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Spin defects in solids offer promising platforms for quantum sensing and memory due to their long coherence times and compatibility with quantum networks. Here, we integrate a single nitrogen vacancy (NV) center in diamond with scanning probe microscopy to discover, read out, and spatially map arbitrary spin-based quantum sensors at the nanoscale. Using the boron vacancy (V B - ) center in hexagonal boron nitride—an emerging two-dimensional spin system—as a model, we detect its electron spin resonance through changes in the spin relaxation time (T 1 ) of a nearby NV center, without requiring direct optical excitation or readout of the V B - fluorescence. Cross relaxation between the NV and V B - ensembles results in a pronounced NV T 1 reduction, enabling nanoscale mapping of spin defect distributions beyond the optical diffraction limit. This approach highlights NV centers as versatile quantum probes for characterizing spin systems, including those emitting at wavelengths beyond the range of silicon-based detectors. Our results open a pathway to hybrid quantum architectures where sensing and readout qubits are decoupled, facilitating the discovery of otherwise inaccessible quantum defects for advanced sensing and quantum networking. Physical sciences/Materials science/Materials for optics/Quantum optics Physical sciences/Nanoscience and technology/Nanoscale materials/Two-dimensional materials spin defect nitrogen vacancy boron vacancy cross-relaxometry quantum sensing Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files ProbingSpinDefectsviaSingleSpinRelaxometrySI.pdf Probing Spin Defects via Single Spin Relaxometry Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 10 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Nature Communications → Version 1 posted 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-6460482","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":448694171,"identity":"94f76c05-be78-44c5-b3e4-ba05474d53e3","order_by":0,"name":"Huan 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sensing","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6460482/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6460482/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Spin defects in solids offer promising platforms for quantum sensing and memory due to their long coherence times and compatibility with quantum networks. Here, we integrate a single nitrogen vacancy (NV) center in diamond with scanning probe microscopy to discover, read out, and spatially map arbitrary spin-based quantum sensors at the nanoscale. Using the boron vacancy (V\u003csub\u003eB\u003c/sub\u003e\u003csup\u003e-\u003c/sup\u003e) center in hexagonal boron nitride—an emerging two-dimensional spin system—as a model, we detect its electron spin resonance through changes in the spin relaxation time (T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e) of a nearby NV center, without requiring direct optical excitation or readout of the V\u003csub\u003eB\u003c/sub\u003e\u003csup\u003e-\u003c/sup\u003e fluorescence. Cross relaxation between the NV and V\u003csub\u003eB\u003c/sub\u003e\u003csup\u003e-\u003c/sup\u003e ensembles results in a pronounced NV T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e reduction, enabling nanoscale mapping of spin defect distributions beyond the optical diffraction limit. This approach highlights NV centers as versatile quantum probes for characterizing spin systems, including those emitting at wavelengths beyond the range of silicon-based detectors. Our results open a pathway to hybrid quantum architectures where sensing and readout qubits are decoupled, facilitating the discovery of otherwise inaccessible quantum defects for advanced sensing and quantum networking.","manuscriptTitle":"Probing Spin Defects via Single Spin Relaxometry","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-08-22 04:01:32","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6460482/v1","editorialEvents":[],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-communications","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"NCOMMS","sideBox":"Learn more about [Nature Communications](http://www.nature.com/ncomms/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://mts-ncomms.nature.com/","title":"Nature Communications","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"Nature Communications","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"761d9e76-c64c-490a-8252-824e9af9953b","owner":[],"postedDate":"August 22nd, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[{"id":47746723,"name":"Physical sciences/Materials science/Materials for optics/Quantum optics"},{"id":47746724,"name":"Physical sciences/Nanoscience and technology/Nanoscale materials/Two-dimensional materials"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-23T07:11:24+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-6460482","link":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70545-6","journal":{"identity":"nature-communications","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Nature Communications"},"publishedOn":"2026-03-10 04:00:00","publishedOnDateReadable":"March 10th, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-08-22 04:01:32","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1038/s41467-026-70545-6","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70545-6","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6460482","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6460482","identity":"rs-6460482","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}