Magnetic and phonon-induced effects on the non-Markovian dynamics of a single solid-state defect

The electron-phonon interaction is one of the most fundamental mechanisms in condensed matter physics. Phonons can induce memory effects in solid-state platforms when localized electronic states interact with lattice vibrations in non-unitary dynamical maps. In this work, we demonstrate how single-mode and structured phonon environments can give rise to non-Markovian dynamics of an individual negatively charged silicon-vacancy center in diamond. Using trace distance as a quantifier via numerical simulations and theoretical calculations, we identify the physical conditions for emerging and understanding non-Markovian behavior in diverse scenarios. Most importantly, we investigate the influence of magnetic fields (longitudinal and transverse), phonon couplings, Fock states, and temperature to understand how these factors influence memory effects in this solid-state device.