Quantum Diamond Microscope for Dynamic Imaging of Magnetic Fields

TL;DR

This paper presents a quantum diamond microscope that combines advanced NV center protocols and high-speed imaging to achieve real-time, high-sensitivity magnetic field imaging with micron-scale resolution, useful for biological and physical sciences.

Contribution

It integrates Ramsey-based NV magnetic imaging with spin-bath driving and high-speed cameras to enable dynamic, high-sensitivity wide-field magnetic imaging with sub-millisecond temporal resolution.

Findings

Achieved median magnetic sensitivity of 4.1 nT/√Hz over 270x270 μm²

Spatial resolution less than 10 μm

Magnetic noise floor reduced to picotesla scale through averaging

Abstract

Wide-field imaging of magnetic signals using ensembles of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond has garnered increasing interest due to its combination of micron-scale resolution, millimeter-scale field of view, and compatibility with diverse samples from across the physical and life sciences. Recently, wide-field NV magnetic imaging based on the Ramsey protocol has achieved uniform and enhanced sensitivity compared to conventional measurements. Here, we integrate the Ramsey-based protocol with spin-bath driving to extend the NV spin dephasing time and improve magnetic sensitivity. We also employ a high-speed camera to enable dynamic wide-field magnetic imaging. We benchmark the utility of this quantum diamond microscope (QDM) by imaging magnetic fields produced from a fabricated wire phantom. Over a $270\times270 \hspace{0.08333em} \mu\mathrm{m}$$^2$ field of view, a median per-pixel magnetic sensitivity of $4.1(1)\hspace{0.08333em}\mathrm{nT}$$/\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$ is realized with a spatial resolution $\lesssim\hspace{0.08333em}10\hspace{0.08333em}\mu\mathrm{m}$ and sub-millisecond temporal resolution. Importantly, the spatial magnetic noise floor can be reduced to the picotesla scale by time-averaging and signal modulation, which enables imaging of a magnetic-field pattern with a peak-to-peak amplitude difference of about $300\hspace{0.08333em}\mathrm{pT}$. Finally, we discuss potential new applications of this dynamic QDM in studying biomineralization and electrically-active cells.