Identity Test of Single NV$^-$ Centers in Diamond at Hz-Precision Level

Abstract

Atomic-like defects in solids are not considered to be identical owing to the imperfections of host lattice. Here, we found that even under ambient conditions, negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV$^-$) centers in diamond could still manifest identical at Hz-precision level, corresponding to a 10$^{-7}$-level relative precision, while the lattice strain can destroy the identity by tens of Hz. All parameters involved in the NV$^-$-$^{14}$N Hamiltonian are determined by formulating six nuclear frequencies at 10-mHz-level precision and measuring them at Hz-level precision. The most precisely measured parameter, the $^{14}$N quadrupole coupling $P$, is given by -4945754.9(8) Hz, whose precision is improved by nearly four orders of magnitude compared with previous measurements. We offer an approach for performing precision measurements in solids and deepening our understandings of NV centers as well as other solid-state defects. Besides, these high-precision results imply a potential application of a robust and integrated atomic-like clock based on ensemble NV centers.