Quantum Co-Magnetometer Using Diamond Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers and Rubidium Cells

TL;DR

This paper presents a hybrid quantum sensor combining diamond NV centers and rubidium vapor cells, achieving enhanced magnetic field measurement accuracy for portable quantum sensing applications.

Contribution

The work introduces a novel hybrid co-magnetometer integrating NV centers with Rb vapor cells, improving magnetic field estimation accuracy through combined quantum systems.

Findings

Over 10 dB improvement in measurement accuracy

Successful integration of NV centers with Rb vapor cell

Enhanced capabilities for portable quantum magnetometry

Abstract

Recent advances in chip scale magnetic quantum sensing have produced platforms that pair unprecedented sensitivity with extreme miniaturization. Here, we demonstrate a hybrid quantum sensor by combining Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centers in diamond with a rubidium (Rb) vapor cell, designed for precise magnetic field measurements and quantum exploration. The hybrid comagnetometer leverages the high resolution vector magnetic sensing of NV centers along with the high scalar field sensitivity of the Rb vapor, enhancing the estimation of the magnetic field in terms of magnitude, direction and spatial distribution. A micromachined mm scale vapor cell containing Rb atoms is paired with a bulk diamond, enabling optical and microwave control of both quantum systems for integrated field estimation. Simulations and experimental results confirm the improved accuracy of the system in magnetic field measurements, demonstrating a beyond 10 dB improvement. This NV and Rb platform offers a versatile route toward portable, sensitive magnetometry and opens new possibilities for integrated, multi-modal quantum sensing.