Photo-induced ionization dynamics of the nitrogen vacancy defect in diamond investigated by single-shot charge state detection

The nitrogen–vacancy centre (NV) has drawn much attention for over a decade, yet detailed knowledge of the photophysics needs to be established. Under typical conditions, the NV can have two stable charge states, negative (NV−) or neutral (NV0), with photo-induced interconversion of these two states. Here, we present detailed studies of the ionization dynamics of single NV centres in bulk diamond at room temperature during illumination and its dependence on the excitation wavelength and power. We apply a recent method which allows us to directly measure the charge state of a single NV centre, and observe its temporal evolution. We find that the steady-state NV− population is always ⩽75% for 450–610 nm excitation wavelength. In combination with saturation measurements, we show that the optimal excitation wavelength is around 510–540 nm. Furthermore, the relative absorption cross-section of NV− is determined for 540–610 nm, revealing a double-peak structure. Finally, the energy of the NV− ground state of 2.6 eV below the conduction band is measured. These results reveal new insights into the charge state dynamics of the NV centre.