Quantum measurement and control of rapidly rotating single qubits in diamond

Internal state rotations are a ubiquitous feature of quantum mechanics, but the effects of physical rotation on a qubit are less widely understood. Rotation induces interesting physics, such as geometric phase accumulation in a rotating qubit, as well as concomitant challenges. The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond is a highly versatile quantum sensor, capable of probing magnetic fields, electric fields, crystal strain and temperature in real-world sensing environments. The NV is a propitious candidate for observing the effects of physical rotation on a single qubit, for example as a nanoscale gyroscope. In this work we demonstrate optical addressing and quantum state manipulation of single NV centers within a diamond mechanically rotated with a period comparable to the spin dephasing time $T_2$. Our results demonstrate measurements of single qubits rotating with high angular velocities, and establish the experimental techniques required to control and extract quantum information from rapidly moving NV centers.