Spin dynamics of 171Yb:YVO ions embedded in a nanophotonic cavity

Optically addressable spin qubits in solid state hosts are a promising platform for developing scalable quantum networks. We present results on a possible architecture based on single 171 Yb ions doped into yttrium orthovanadate. By coupling these ions to nanophotonic cavities we leverage the Purcell regime of cavity QED to enhance the weak, highly coherent optical transitions typically associated with rare earth ions thereby enabling detection and readout.
This talk focuses on ground state spin dynamics. At zero field, the combination of electron and nuclear spin 1/2 leads to a clock transition that is first-order insensitive to magnetic field fluctuations. Ramsey coherence times are limited by interactions with slowly fluctuating lattice spins via second-order perturbations to the Yb ion Hamiltonian. By applying CPMG dynamical decoupling sequences we can extend the spin coherence time to 30ms at temperatures up to 1.2K. Furthermore, we investigate spin lifetimes (T1) in the ground state manifold and find that these are limited by magnetic dipole-dipole interactions with other Yb ions. We also discuss the prospects of working with this platform at high magnetic field and demonstrating remote spin-spin entanglement.