High-sensitivity diamond magnetometer with nanoscale resolution

TL;DR

This paper introduces a highly sensitive diamond-based magnetometer utilizing Nitrogen-Vacancy centers, capable of nanoscale resolution and detecting extremely weak magnetic fields, with applications in single nuclear spin detection and high-resolution magnetic imaging.

Contribution

It presents a novel quantum sensing technique using NV centers in diamond for high-sensitivity, nanoscale magnetic field detection at room temperature.

Findings

Potential to detect single nuclear spin precession

Achieves femtotesla/Hz$^{1/2}$ sensitivity

Provides spatial resolution from micrometers to millimeters

Abstract

We present a novel approach to the detection of weak magnetic fields that takes advantage of recently developed techniques for the coherent control of solid-state electron spin quantum bits. Specifically, we investigate a magnetic sensor based on Nitrogen-Vacancy centers in room-temperature diamond. We discuss two important applications of this technique: a nanoscale magnetometer that could potentially detect precession of single nuclear spins and an optical magnetic field imager combining spatial resolution ranging from micrometers to millimeters with a sensitivity approaching few femtotesla/Hz$^{1/2}$.