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Main Authors: Medina, Ivan, Muniz, Sérgio R., Goettems, Elisa I., Soares-Pinto, Diogo O.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.08769
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author Medina, Ivan
Muniz, Sérgio R.
Goettems, Elisa I.
Soares-Pinto, Diogo O.
author_facet Medina, Ivan
Muniz, Sérgio R.
Goettems, Elisa I.
Soares-Pinto, Diogo O.
contents The optical pumping process is a fundamental tool for quantum protocols using the electronic and nuclear spins in the Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centers platform. In this work, we explore the process of electronic spin polarization through optical pumping from a thermodynamic perspective. We identify the sources of work and heat and show that the heat current is direct related to the experimentally accessible fluorescence of the NV center. We also show that the polarization of the electronic spin depends on the amount of work that is provided to the system by the laser pump. Moreover, we study the von Neumann entropy change in the process. We demonstrate that the entropy can be separated into two contributions: one due to the heat produced and the other due to the work provided, which is a consequence of the non-unitary nature of the pumping process. Finally, we show that increasing the power of the laser results in the increasing of the entropy of the final state, which hinders the polarization efficiency.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_08769
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Thermodynamics of the optical pumping process in Nitrogen-Vacancy centers
Medina, Ivan
Muniz, Sérgio R.
Goettems, Elisa I.
Soares-Pinto, Diogo O.
Quantum Physics
The optical pumping process is a fundamental tool for quantum protocols using the electronic and nuclear spins in the Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centers platform. In this work, we explore the process of electronic spin polarization through optical pumping from a thermodynamic perspective. We identify the sources of work and heat and show that the heat current is direct related to the experimentally accessible fluorescence of the NV center. We also show that the polarization of the electronic spin depends on the amount of work that is provided to the system by the laser pump. Moreover, we study the von Neumann entropy change in the process. We demonstrate that the entropy can be separated into two contributions: one due to the heat produced and the other due to the work provided, which is a consequence of the non-unitary nature of the pumping process. Finally, we show that increasing the power of the laser results in the increasing of the entropy of the final state, which hinders the polarization efficiency.
title Thermodynamics of the optical pumping process in Nitrogen-Vacancy centers
topic Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.08769