Wide-field magnetometry with nitrogen-vacancy centers in randomly oriented micro-diamonds

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method for three-dimensional magnetic field sensing using randomly oriented nitrogen-vacancy centers in micro-diamonds, enabling flexible and surface-independent magnetometry.

Contribution

It demonstrates that NV centers in arbitrarily oriented micro-diamonds can be used for 3D magnetometry, expanding sensing capabilities beyond traditional methods.

Findings

Effective 3D magnetic field orientation determination in micro-diamonds.

Potential for application on irregular surfaces and nanodiamond sensors.

Overcomes limitations of surface smoothness and proximity requirements.

Abstract

Magnetometry with nitrogen-vacancy color centers in diamond has gained significant interest among researchers in recent years. Absolute knowledge of the three-dimensional orientation of the magnetic field is necessary for many applications. Conventional magnetometry measurements are usually performed with NV ensembles in a bulk diamond with a thin NV layer or a scanning probe in the form of a diamond tip, which requires a smooth sample surface and proximity of the probing device, often limiting the sensing capabilities. Here, we present a method for determining the three-dimensional orientation of the magnetic field vector relative to the diamond crystal lattice. We demonstrate that NV centers in arbitrarily oriented submicrometer-sized diamond powder deposited on a planar surface can be used for sensing the magnetic field. Our work can be extended to irregular surfaces, which shows a promising path for nanodiamond-based photonic sensors.