A robust scanning diamond sensor for nanoscale imaging with single nitrogen-vacancy centres

A robust scanning diamond sensor for nanoscale imaging with single nitrogen-vacancy centres

Play all audios:

Loading...

ABSTRACT The nitrogen-vacancy defect centre in diamond1,2,3,4 has potential applications in nanoscale electric and magnetic-field sensing2,3,4,5,6, single-photon microscopy7,8, quantum


information processing9 and bioimaging10. These applications rely on the ability to position a single nitrogen-vacancy centre within a few nanometres of a sample, and then scan it across the


sample surface, while preserving the centre's spin coherence and readout fidelity. However, existing scanning techniques, which use a single diamond nanocrystal grafted onto the tip of


a scanning probe microscope2,8,11,12, suffer from short spin coherence times due to poor crystal quality, and from inefficient far-field collection of the fluorescence from the


nitrogen-vacancy centre. Here, we demonstrate a robust method for scanning a single nitrogen-vacancy centre within tens of nanometres from a sample surface that addresses both of these


concerns. This is achieved by positioning a single nitrogen-vacancy centre at the end of a high-purity diamond nanopillar, which we use as the tip of an atomic force microscope. Our approach


ensures long nitrogen-vacancy spin coherence times (∼75 µs), enhanced nitrogen-vacancy collection efficiencies due to waveguiding, and mechanical robustness of the device (several weeks of


scanning time). We are able to image magnetic domains with widths of 25 nm, and demonstrate a magnetic field sensitivity of 56 nT Hz–1/2 at a frequency of 33 kHz, which is unprecedented for


scanning nitrogen-vacancy centres. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your


institution Subscribe to this journal Receive 12 print issues and online access $259.00 per year only $21.58 per issue Learn more Buy this article * Purchase on SpringerLink * Instant access


to full article PDF Buy now Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout ADDITIONAL ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read


our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS NANOSCALE ELECTRIC FIELD IMAGING WITH AN AMBIENT SCANNING QUANTUM SENSOR MICROSCOPE Article Open access 09


September 2022 NANOSCALE ELECTRIC-FIELD IMAGING BASED ON A QUANTUM SENSOR AND ITS CHARGE-STATE CONTROL UNDER AMBIENT CONDITION Article Open access 28 April 2021 WIDE-FIELD MAGNETOMETRY USING


NITROGEN-VACANCY COLOR CENTERS WITH RANDOMLY ORIENTED MICRO-DIAMONDS Article Open access 26 October 2022 REFERENCES * Chernobrod, B. M. & Berman, G. P. Spin microscope based on


optically detected magnetic resonance. _J. Appl. Phys._ 97, 014903 (2005). Article  Google Scholar  * Balasubramanian, G. et al. Nanoscale imaging magnetometry with diamond spins under


ambient conditions. _Nature_ 455, 648–651 (2008). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Maze, J. R. et al. Nanoscale magnetic sensing with an individual electronic spin in diamond. _Nature_ 455,


644–647 (2008). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Taylor, J. et al. High-sensitivity diamond magnetometer with nanoscale resolution. _Nature Phys._ 4, 810–816 (2008). Article  CAS  Google


Scholar  * Dolde, F. et al. Electric-field sensing using single diamond spins. _Nature Phys._ 7, 459–463 (2011). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Degen, C. L. Scanning magnetic field


microscope with a diamond single-spin sensor. _Appl. Phys. Lett._ 92, 243111 (2008). Article  Google Scholar  * Sekatskii, S. & Letokhov, V. Nanometer-resolution scanning optical


microscope with resonance excitation of the fluorescence of the samples from a single-atom excited center. _JETP Lett._ 63, 319–323 (1996). Article  Google Scholar  * Cuche, A. et al.


Near-field optical microscopy with a nanodiamond-based single-photon tip. _Opt. Express_ 17, 19969–19980 (2009). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Neumann, P. et al. Quantum register based on


coupled electron spins in a room-temperature solid. _Nature Phys._ 6, 249–253 (2010). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * McGuinness, L. P. et al. Quantum measurement and orientation tracking of


fluorescent nanodiamonds inside living cells. _Nature Nanotech._ 6, 358–363 (2011). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Kuhn, S., Hettich, C., Schmitt, C., Poizat, J. & Sandoghdar, V.


Diamond colour centres as a nanoscopic light source for scanning near-field optical microscopy. _J. Microsc._ 202, 2–6 (2001). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Rondin, L. et al. Nanoscale


magnetic field mapping with a single spin scanning probe magnetometer. _Appl. Phys. Lett._ (in the press). * Kurtsiefer, C., Mayer, S., Zarda, P. & Weinfurter, H. Stable solid-state


source of single photons. _Phys. Rev. Lett._ 85, 290–293 (2000). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Balasubramanian, G. et al. Ultralong spin coherence time in isotopically engineered diamond.


_Nature Mater._ 8, 383–387 (2009). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Gruber, A. et al. Scanning confocal optical microscopy and magnetic resonance on single defect centers. _Science_ 276,


2012–2014 (1997). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Michaelis, J., Hettich, C., Mlynek, J. & Sandoghdar, V. Optical microscopy using a single-molecule light source. _Nature_ 405, 325–328


(2000). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Kalish, R. et al. Nitrogen doping of diamond by ion implantation. _Diamond Relat. Mater._ 6, 516–520 (1997). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Babinec,


T. M. et al. A diamond nanowire single-photon source. _Nature Nanotech._ 5, 195–199 (2010). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Hausmann, B. J. et al. Fabrication of diamond nanowires for


quantum information processing applications. _Diamond Relat. Mater._ 19, 621–629 (2010). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Jelezko, F., Gaebel, T., Popa, I., Gruber, A. & Wrachtrup, J.


Observation of coherent oscillations in a single electron spin. _Phys. Rev. Lett._ 92, 076401 (2004). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Van Oort, E. & Glasbeek, M. Optically detected low


field electron spin echo envelope modulations of fluorescent N-V centers in diamond. _Chem. Phys._ 143, 131–140 (1990). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * De Lange, G., Ristè, D., Dobrovitski,


V. V. & Hanson, R. Single-spin magnetometry with multipulse sensing sequences. _Phys. Rev. Lett._ 106, 080802 (2011). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Dreau, A. et al. Avoiding power


broadening in optically detected magnetic resonance of single NV defects for enhanced dc magnetic field sensitivity. _Phys. Rev. B_ 84, 195204 (2011). Article  Google Scholar  * Grinolds, M.


S. et al. Quantum control of proximal spins using nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging. _Nature Phys._ 7, 687–692 (2011). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Lai, N., Zheng, D., Jelezko, F.,


Treussart, F. & Roch, J-F. Influence of a static magnetic field on the photoluminescence of an ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy color centers in a diamond single-crystal. _Appl. Phys. Lett._


95, 133101 (2009). Article  Google Scholar  * Buchler, B. C., Kalkbrenner, T., Hettich, C. & Sandoghdar, V. Measuring the quantum efficiency of the optical emission of single radiating


dipoles using a scanning mirror. _Phys. Rev. Lett._ 95, 063003 (2005). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Bradac, C. et al. Observation and control of blinking nitrogen-vacancy centres in


discrete nanodiamonds. _Nature Nanotech._ 5, 345–349 (2010). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Pezzagna, S. et al. Nanoscale engineering and optical addressing of single spins in diamond.


_Small_ 6, 2117–2121 (2010). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Naydenov, B. et al. Increasing the coherence time of single electron spins in diamond by high temperature annealing. _Appl. Phys.


Lett._ 97, 242511 (2010). Article  Google Scholar  * Wolny, F. et al. Iron filled carbon nanotubes as novel monopole-like sensors for quantitative magnetic force microscopy.


_Nanotechnology_ 21, 435501 (2010). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Kohashi, T., Konoto, M. & Koike, K. High-resolution spin-polarized scanning electron microscopy (spin SEM). _J.


Electron Microsc._ 59, 43–52 (2010). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Kane, B. E. A silicon-based nuclear spin quantum computer. _Nature_ 393, 133–137 (1998). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  *


Recher, P. & Trauzettel, B. Quantum dots and spin qubits in graphene. _Nanotechnology_ 21, 302001 (2010). Article  Google Scholar  * Togan, E. et al. Quantum entanglement between an


optical photon and a solid-state spin qubit. _Nature_ 466, 730–734 (2010). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Lee, C., Gu, E., Dawson, M., Friel, I. & Scarsbrook, G. Etching and


micro-optics fabrication in diamond using chlorine-based inductively-coupled plasma. _Diamond Relat. Mater._ 17, 1292–1296 (2008). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Childress, L. et al.


Coherent dynamics of coupled electron and nuclear spin qubits in diamond. _Science_ 314, 281–285 (2006). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  Download references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors thank


B.D. Terris and N. Supper from Hitachi GST for providing the magnetic recording samples. P.M. acknowledges support from the Swiss National Science Foundation and S.H. thanks the Kwanjeong


Scholarship Foundation for funding. M.S.G. is supported by fellowships from the Department of Defense (NDSEG programme) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). This work was supported by


NIST and DARPA QuEST and QuASAR programmes and in part was performed at the Center for Nanoscale Systems (CNS), a member of the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN), which


is supported by the NSF (under award no. ECS–0335765). CNS is part of Harvard University. AUTHOR INFORMATION Author notes * P. Maletinsky, S. Hong and M. S. Grinolds: These authors


contributed equally to this work AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, 02138, Massachusetts, USA P. Maletinsky, M. S. Grinolds, M. D. Lukin, R. L.


Walsworth & A. Yacoby * School of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, 02138, Massachusetts, USA S. Hong, B. Hausmann & M. Loncar * Harvard–Smithsonian


Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, 02138, Massachusetts, USA R. L. Walsworth Authors * P. Maletinsky View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar *


S. Hong View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * M. S. Grinolds View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google


Scholar * B. Hausmann View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * M. D. Lukin View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed


 Google Scholar * R. L. Walsworth View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * M. Loncar View author publications You can also search for this


author inPubMed Google Scholar * A. Yacoby View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CONTRIBUTIONS All authors contributed to all aspects of this


work. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to A. Yacoby. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The authors declare no competing financial interests. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION SUPPLEMENTARY


INFORMATION Supplementary information (PDF 672 kb) RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Maletinsky, P., Hong, S., Grinolds, M. _et al._ A


robust scanning diamond sensor for nanoscale imaging with single nitrogen-vacancy centres. _Nature Nanotech_ 7, 320–324 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2012.50 Download citation *


Received: 08 February 2012 * Accepted: 13 March 2012 * Published: 15 April 2012 * Issue Date: May 2012 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2012.50 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the


following link with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer


Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative