Diamond Magnetometry of Meissner Currents in a Superconducting Film

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a novel method for imaging Meissner currents in a superconducting niobium film using diamond-based magnetometry, providing insights into magnetic field penetration with high precision.

Contribution

It introduces a new optical imaging technique employing nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond to study magnetic fields in superconducting films, aligning experimental results with theoretical models.

Findings

Good agreement between experimental images and critical state model predictions

Effective optical detection of magnetic resonances in diamond

Enhanced understanding of magnetic field penetration in superconductors

Abstract

We study magnetic field penetration into a thin film made of a superconducting niobium. Imaging of magnetic field is performed by optically detecting magnetic resonances of negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy defects inside a single crystal diamond, which is attached to the niobium film under study. The experimental results are compared with theoretical predictions based on the critical state model, and good agreement is obtained.