Nanoscale vector AC magnetometry with a single nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel protocol using a single nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond for nanoscale vector AC magnetometry, enabling high sensitivity and spatial resolution in detecting AC magnetic fields.

Contribution

The authors develop and experimentally validate a protocol that reconstructs the vector components of AC magnetic fields with a single NV center, overcoming limitations of ensemble-based methods.

Findings

Successfully mapped AC magnetic fields generated by a copper wire.

Achieved high sensitivity and broad dynamic range in vector magnetometry.

Demonstrated applicability to probing spin fluctuations in condensed matter.

Abstract

Detection of AC magnetic fields at the nanoscale is critical in applications ranging from fundamental physics to materials science. Isolated quantum spin defects, such as the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond, can achieve the desired spatial resolution with high sensitivity. Still, vector AC magnetometry currently relies on using different orientations of an ensemble of sensors, with degraded spatial resolution, and a protocol based on a single NV is lacking. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate a protocol that exploits a single NV to reconstruct the vectorial components of an AC magnetic field by tuning a continuous driving to distinct resonance conditions. We map the spatial distribution of an AC field generated by a copper wire on the surface of the diamond. The proposed protocol combines high sensitivity, broad dynamic range, and sensitivity to both coherent and stochastic signals, with broad applications in condensed matter physics, such as probing spin fluctuations.