Wide-Field Strain Imaging with Preferentially-Aligned Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Polycrystalline Diamond

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a high-sensitivity, wide-field 3D strain imaging technique using optically detected magnetic resonance of nitrogen-vacancy centers in polycrystalline diamond, revealing heterogeneous environments and preferential orientations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel 3D strain imaging method leveraging native NV centers in polycrystalline diamond with high sensitivity and resolution.

Findings

Heterogeneous crystalline environment with varied NV densities

Preferential NV orientation within some grains

Long spin coherence times preserved in polycrystalline diamond

Abstract

We report on wide-field optically detected magnetic resonance imaging of nitrogen-vacancy centers (NVs) in type IIa polycrystalline diamond. These studies reveal a heterogeneous crystalline environment that produces a varied density of NV centers, including preferential orientation within some individual crystal grains, but preserves long spin coherence times. Using the native NVs as nanoscale sensors, we introduce a 3-dimensional strain imaging technique with high sensitivity ( $< 10^{-5}$ Hz$^{-1/2}$) and diffraction-limited resolution across a wide field of view.