Atomic-scale imaging and charge state manipulation of NV centers by scanning tunneling microscopy.

Abstract

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond are among the most promising solid-state qubit candidates, owing to their exceptionally long spin coherence times, efficient spin-photon coupling, room-temperature operation, and steadily advancing fabrication and integration techniques. Despite significant progress in the field, atomic-scale characterization and control of individual NV centers have remained elusive. In this work, we utilize a conductive graphene capping layer to enable direct imaging and manipulation of NV⁻ defects via scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). By investigating over 40 individual NV⁻ centers, we identify their spectroscopic signatures and spatial configurations. Our dI/dV conductance spectra reveal the ground state resonance approximately 300 meV below the Fermi level and density-of-states maps uncover a two-lobed wavefunction aligned along the [111] crystallographic direction. Remarkably, we demonstrate the ability to manipulate the charge state of the NV centers from NV⁻ to NV⁰ through STM tip-induced gating. This work represents a significant advance in the atomic-scale imaging, spectroscopic characterization, and charge-state manipulation of NV centers, potentially paving the way for future quantum device development.