Nanoscale microwave imaging with a single electron spin in diamond

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates nanoscale microwave magnetic field imaging using a nitrogen vacancy center in diamond, achieving high sensitivity and resolution under ambient conditions, enabling detailed current density mapping.

Contribution

It introduces a novel scanning probe technique utilizing nitrogen vacancy centers for high-resolution microwave magnetic field imaging at the nanoscale.

Findings

Achieved a microwave magnetic field sensitivity of a few nT/√Hz.

Demonstrated broadband and polarization-selective detection capabilities.

Successfully mapped microwave current density in a stripline with high sensitivity.

Abstract

We report on imaging of microwave (MW) magnetic fields using a magnetometer based on the electron spin of a nitrogen vacancy center in diamond. We quantitatively image the magnetic field generated by high frequency (GHz) MW current with nanoscale resolution using a scanning probe technique. We demonstrate a MW magnetic field sensitivity in the range of a few nT/$\sqrt{\text{Hz}}$, polarization selection and broadband capabilities under ambient conditions and thereby establish the nitrogen vacancy center a versatile and high performance tool for the detection of MW fields. As a first application of this scanning MW detector, we determine the MW current density in a stripline and demonstrate a MW current sensitivity of a few nA/$\sqrt{\text{Hz}}$