Optimal quantum optical control of spin in diamond

Abstract: The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center spin represents an appealing candidate for quantum information processing. Besides the widely used microwave control, its coherent manipulation may also be achieved using laser as mediated by the excited energy levels. Nevertheless, the multiple levels of the excited state of NV center spin make the coherent transition process become complex and may affect the fidelity of coherent manipulation. Here, we adopt the strategy of optimal quantum control to accelerate coherent state transfer in the ground state manifold of NV center spin using laser. The results demonstrate improved performance in both the speed and the fidelity of coherent state transfer which will be useful for optical control of NV center spin in diamond.