Using NV centers in diamond to detect DC to very-low frequency magnetic fields

TL;DR

This paper introduces a compact NV center-based magnetometer capable of detecting very low frequency magnetic fields with high sensitivity, suitable for practical applications like current measurement and magnetic communication.

Contribution

The work presents a portable NV center magnetometer using dual microwave resonance and ODMR techniques, achieving low noise-floor and shot-noise-limited sensitivity.

Findings

Magnetic field noise-floor of approximately 2.3 nT/√Hz.

Shot-noise-limited sensitivity of approximately 585 pT/√Hz.

Potential for precise single-axis magnetic field measurements.

Abstract

In this work we present a compact and portable tabletop magnetometer that utilizes negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond. The magnetometer is operated using a dual microwave resonance detection approach in combination with an optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) technique (mitigating drifts in results due to changes of the diamond temperature), capable of simultaneously exciting and registering two ODMR transitions. The experimentally measured magnetic field noise-floor is $\approx 2.3~\textrm{nT}\sqrt{\textrm{Hz}}$ while the calculated shot-noise-limited magnetic field sensitivity is $\approx 585~\textrm{pT}\sqrt{\textrm{Hz}}$ when excited with a continuous wave laser at 0.5~W. These results pave the way for realizing a simple set-up magnetometer for precise single axis magnetic field measurements for example for accurate electric current measurements for stabilization purposes and magnetic communication applications.