Optimized Dynamical Decoupling for Spin Ensembles with Large Inhomogeneities
Abstract
Spin ensembles show increasing promise for highly efficient quantum sensing and quantum technologies. However, protecting their coherent properties remains a significant challenge. Dynamical decoupling (DD) typically employs a sequence of fast pulses that aim to reduce the effect of unwanted system-environment interactions. However, the performance of the DD sequences typically suffers in spin ensembles, e.g., due to amplitude and frequency inhomogeneities and control errors. In this work, we compare the performance of an extensive number of DD protocols for coherence protection and quantum sensing in an ensemble of negatively charged NV centers under ambient conditions. We identify the optimal approach that uses rapid adiabatic passage pulses, which are robust to amplitude and frequency inhomogeneity, in combination with the variation of their phases. We experimentally demonstrate an improved signal contrast and an order-of-magnitude increase in memory time with the optimal sequence compared to the widely used XY8 with standard rectangular pulses. We also apply our approach for improved sensing of a weak oscillating field. While our particular demonstration is with NV centers in diamond, the optimized protocol is generally applicable to other spin ensembles and to systems with high amplitude and/or frequency inhomogeneities.
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BibTeX
@misc{paul2026optimized,
title = {{Optimized Dynamical Decoupling for Spin Ensembles with Large Inhomogeneities}},
author = {Rajan Paul and Genko Genov and Oliver Schmid and Shinobu Onoda and Yutaka Kobayashi and Junichi Isoya and Fedor Jelezko},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.39693},
eprint = {2610.39693},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.39693},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Optimized Dynamical Decoupling for Spin Ensembles with Large Inhomogeneities
AU - Rajan Paul
AU - Genko Genov
AU - Oliver Schmid
AU - Shinobu Onoda
AU - Yutaka Kobayashi
AU - Junichi Isoya
AU - Fedor Jelezko
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.39693
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.39693
AB - Spin ensembles show increasing promise for highly efficient quantum sensing and quantum technologies. However, protecting their coherent properties remains a significant challenge. Dynamical decoupling (DD) typically employs a sequence of fast pulses that aim to reduce the effect of unwanted system-environment interactions. However, the performance of the DD sequences typically suffers in spin ensembles, e.g., due to amplitude and frequency inhomogeneities and control errors. In this work, we compare the performance of an extensive number of DD protocols for coherence protection and quantum sensing in an ensemble of negatively charged NV centers under ambient conditions. We identify the optimal approach that uses rapid adiabatic passage pulses, which are robust to amplitude and frequency inhomogeneity, in combination with the variation of their phases. We experimentally demonstrate an improved signal contrast and an order-of-magnitude increase in memory time with the optimal sequence compared to the widely used XY8 with standard rectangular pulses. We also apply our approach for improved sensing of a weak oscillating field. While our particular demonstration is with NV centers in diamond, the optimized protocol is generally applicable to other spin ensembles and to systems with high amplitude and/or frequency inhomogeneities.
ER -