Electron spins bound to diamond defects can be controlled and measured using light – an amazing property that is key to their use in many quantum technologies. However, they have their limits, and sometimes go “dark”, becoming unresponsive to optical measurements. Researchers know how to avoid and work around this problem, but its physical mechanism has remained a mystery. In a recently submitted article, our lab has shown that by comparing careful measurements with a detailed theoretical model they can explain this effect. Read more here.