Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41739934›Full record

ArticleScience advances2026

Intermediate excited state relaxation dynamics of boron vacancy spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride.

Paul Konrad, Mehran Kianinia, Lesley Spencer, Andreas Sperlich, Lukas Hein, Selin Steinicke, Igor Aharonovich, Vladimir Dyakonov

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Science advances, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Paul KonradExperimental Physics 6 and Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.ORCID 0009-0000-1722-3807
Mehran KianiniaSchool of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-4073-1492
Lesley SpencerSchool of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
Andreas SperlichExperimental Physics 6 and Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-0850-6757
Lukas HeinExperimental Physics 6 and Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Selin SteinickeExperimental Physics 6 and Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.ORCID 0009-0006-2706-8058
Igor AharonovichSchool of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-4304-3935
Vladimir DyakonovExperimental Physics 6 and Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8725-9573

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Optically addressable spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride offer promising potential for 2D quantum sensing, although excited-state dynamics remain poorly understood. In particular, the nonradiative relaxation paths from the excited triplet states to the ground state, especially those involving a shelving intermediate state (IS), remain largely hypothetical, and the rate constants have yet to be directly measured. In this work, we investigate the relaxation dynamics of the IS in the optical pumping cycle in a broad temperature range. We measure a 24.0(3)-nanosecond relaxation time from IS to the ground state at room temperature, which approximately doubles at low temperatures. Simulations reveal how spin populations and ground-state polarization evolve with varying excitation rates. Accordingly, we optimize optically detected magnetic resonance pulse sequences to account for the effects of IS relaxation. This considerably enhances spin manipulation efficiency, allowing substantial optimization of the quantum sensor's sensitivity based on boron vacancies.

Identifiers

PMID41739934
PMCPMC12935034

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.