Ultrasensitive microwave spectroscopy of spin ensembles in solids for hybrid quantum systems

Warrick Farr

    Research output: ThesisDoctoral Thesis

    608 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Progress in the emerging field of engineered quantum systems requires the development of devices that can act as quantum memories. In this thesis, a novel spectroscopic technique using electron spin resonance (ESR) is presented. Microwave whispering gallery modes (WGM) in cylindrical dielectric resonators are used to probe paramagnetic impurities at millikelvin temperatures under the influence of an applied dc magnetic field. This technique couples the naturally high quality factor and the relatively high magnetic filling factor of WGMs in crystalline hosts. Precision spectroscopy has been performed on a number of dielectric samples including, sapphire, ruby, quartz, yttrium orthosilicate (YSO) and yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG).
    Spectroscopic characterisation of sapphire reveals trace ion impurities at parts per billion, which have been used to control strong coupling between the WGM doublets. Moreover, time-reversal symmetry breaking has been observed when a WGM interacts with an ESR, a result of selection rules being created as a consequence of conservation of angular momentum. Following this, interactions between WGM microwave photons and spin resonances are shown in a range of systems. Results achieved include coupling between WGM photons and Cr3+ ions in ruby with normal mode splitting on the order of 600 MHz at 13.9 GHz, the coupling of iron group ion impurities to WGM photons in YSO, which also revealed a strong coupling regime with very low magnetic field, and coupling of Er3+ to WGMs in YAG with evidence of dilute ferromagnetism - the first observation of such an effect outside of iron group doped semiconductors.
    In addition a novel double-post re-entrant cavity is presented, which is able to focus the rf magnetic field into a small sample, in this case a sub-millimetre sized Yttrium Iron Garnet (YIG) ferrite microsphere that supports magnon resonances.
    Ultra-high cooperatively of 105 between photon and magnon modes is demonstrated at millikelvin temperatures and microwave frequencies. A coupling strength (normal mode splitting) of 2 GHz at 20 GHz, equivalent to 76 cavity linewidths, is achieved for the bright cavity mode. This constitutes about 10% of the photon energy and shows that ultra-strong coupling is possible in spin systems at microwave frequencies.
    Original languageEnglish
    QualificationDoctor of Philosophy
    Supervisors/Advisors
    • Goryachev, Maxim, Supervisor
    • Creedon, Daniel, Supervisor
    • Tobar, Michael, Supervisor
    Publication statusUnpublished - May 2015

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Ultrasensitive microwave spectroscopy of spin ensembles in solids for hybrid quantum systems'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this