  Hyperfine interactions with a nuclear spin environment fundamentally limit
the coherence properties of confined electron spins in the solid-state. Here,
we show that a quantum interference effect in optical absorption from two
electronic spin states of a solid-state emitter can be used to prepare the
surrounding environment of nuclear spins in well-defined states, thereby
suppressing electronic spin dephasing. The evolution of the coupled
electron-nuclei system into a coherent population trapping state by optical
excitation induced nuclear spin diffusion can be described in terms of Levy
flights, in close analogy with sub-recoil laser cooling of atoms. The large
difference in electronic and nuclear time scales simultaneously allow for a
measurement of the magnetic field produced by nuclear spins, making it possible
to turn the lasers that cause the anomalous spin diffusion process off when the
strength of the resonance fluorescence reveals that the nuclear spins are in
the desired narrow state.
