Microwave-photonic control of optically accessible spin defects in diamond

Abstract

A growing variety of optically accessible spin qubits have emerged in recent years as key components for quantum sensors, computers, and memories. However, the scalability of conventional spin-based quantum architectures remains limited by direct microwave delivery, which introduces thermal noise, electromagnetic crosstalk, and design constraints for cryogenic, high-field, and distributed systems. In this work, we present a unified framework for RF-over-fiber (RFoF) control of spins accessible through optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectroscopy of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond. The RFoF platform relies on an intensity-modulated 1310 nm laser carrying microwave signals over fiber and a high-speed photodiode for optical-to-electrical conversion to drive NV spin transitions. We report an RFoF power-conversion efficiency of 3.42% for an RF output PRF,out=−5.5 dBm at 2.87 GHz, enabling clear resolution of Zeeman splitting in proportion to an applied magnetic field. The RFoF architecture provides a path toward low-noise, thermally isolated, and cryo-compatible ODMR systems at sub-THz frequencies, thus bridging conventional spin-based quantum sensing protocols with emerging distributed quantum technologies.