Applied Physics Letters

Identification of the orientation of a single NV center in a nanodiamond using a three-dimensionally controlled magnetic field

Kazuki Fukushige, Hiroki Kawaguchi, Konosuke Shimazaki, Toshiyuki Tashima, Hideaki Takashima, Shigeki Takeuchi

Published Jun 29, 2020• 18 citations

Abstract

A nanodiamond embedding a single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center has outstanding optical properties since it is readily manipulated and coupled with nanophotonic devices. Reliable methods to identify the orientation of an NV axis on photonic platforms are important to precisely estimate the coupling efficiency between them. We report on a method to identify the orientation of an NV axis. The proposed method consists of a single dataset of optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) measurements taken while rotating the magnetic field in a plane and a single ODMR measurement taken while applying the magnetic field in a single direction. By applying this method to a nanodiamond with a single NV center on a microscope coverslip, the orientation of the NV center is determined to be (θNV, ϕNV)=(144.6°, 52.9°) when the magnetic field is scanned in the xy-plane. When the magnetic field is scanned in the xz-plane, it is determined to be (θNV, ϕNV)=(148.0°, 45.7°) which is consistent within 5.2°. This technique will advance progress toward realizing photon-based quantum networks and quantum communication.

DOI: 10.1063/5.0009698

Related papers

Orientation determination of nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond using a static magnetic field

Yangpeng Wang, Rujian Zhang, Yan Yang +3 more

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in a bulk diamond are often employed to realize measurement of multiple physical quantities, which depends on orientation information of NV axis. We report a fast and effective method to determine the orientation of NV axis with the aid of a static magnetic field. By measuring the optically detected magnetic resonance spectra, we can precisely extract the polar angle information between the NV axis and the known magnetic field. Combining with the polar angle information of different kinds of NV centers, we employ the Nelder–Mead algorithm to get the optimal solution of the orientation of NV axis. This method is simple and efficient, and is easily applied in NV-based quantum sensing.

Chinese Physics BMar 3, 20234 citations

Visualized Axial Localization of Nitrogen-Vacancy Center in Bulk Diamond Assisted by Radially Polarized Beam

Yi Zhu, Yangpeng Wang, Die Fang +6 more

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in bulk diamond, as an excellent spin-based vector quantum sensor, require precise determination of the axis orientation information. Here, we efficiently visualize and completely determine the NV axis orientation in bulk diamond, assisted by a radially polarized beam. We observe the rotational asymmetric fluorescence pattern of NV centers in bulk diamond, which is quite different from that in nanodiamonds. Our theoretical calculations show this difference is mainly due to the fact that the ratio between the longitudinal and transverse electric field components of the focused radially polarized beam is greatly weakened in bulk diamond. This fluorescence pattern asymmetry can uniquely determine both the azimuth angle and the polar angle without degeneracy in bulk diamond. Then, we verify these theories in bulk diamond with different orientations and nanodiamonds. The experimental result is consistent with that of the traditional method by measuring a series of optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectra, and the error is less than 3.0 degrees. Our method can be easily extended to other solid-state spin systems and shows great potential in quantum sensing of vector magnetic fields and nanoscale dynamic processes.

ACS PhotonicsSep 29, 20241 citation

Methods for traceable scanning magnetometry using single nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond: determining orientation, distance and localization

Nikhita Khera, Ephraim Spindler, Yanis Abdedou +7 more

Individual, scannable nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in single crystal diamond nanostructures enable nanoscale, quantitative imaging of magnetic stray fields. Nevertheless, important parameters like distance between the NV center and the sample and the orientation of the NV high symmetry axis are often not known precisely and enter data evaluation as free fitting parameters. We here use scanning NV imaging on micro-patterned, perpendicularly magnetized stripes and discs. From these measurements, we directly infer NV - sample distance d_NV and the NV's azimuthal orientation without the need for an external vector magnet control. We determine d_NV = 31.5 nm, while we infer the azimuthal orientation with a precision of 3°. We additionally employ commercially available silicon needles to image the apex topography of our diamond nanostructures to detect surface contamination. Simultaneously, monitoring NV fluorescence as a function of the needle's position allows us to estimate the lateral placement of the NV inside the diamond nanostructure.

cond-mat.mes-hallCross-listedarXiv:2608.04632Aug 6, 2026

Rapid Measurement and Control of Nitrogen-Vacancy Center-Axial Orientation in Diamond Particles*

Guobin Chen, Yang Hui, Junci Sun +2 more

Determination and control of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers play an important role in sensing the vector field by using their quantum information. To measure orientation of NV centers in a diamond particle attached to a tapered fiber rapidly, we propose a new method to establish the direction cosine matrix between the lab frame and the NV body frame. In this method, only four groups of the ODMR spectrum peaks shift data need to be collected, and the magnetic field along ± Z and ± Y in the lab frame is applied in the meantime. We can also control any NV axis to rotate to the X, Y, Z axes in the lab frame according to the elements of this matrix. The demonstration of the DC and microwave magnetic field vector sensing is presented. Finally, the proposed method can help us to perform vector magnetic field sensing more conveniently and rapidly.

Chinese Physics LettersNov 1, 20206 citations

Imaging of microwave magnetic field orientation using continuous-wave experiments on nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond

Akshat Rana, Pooja Lamba, Atanu Ghosh +2 more

Abstract Imaging of microwave magnetic fields with nano-scale resolution has interesting applications. Specifically, detecting the orientation of microwave fields is useful in condensed matter physics and quantum control. However, most of the existing methods for microwave field imaging are limited to detecting the magnitude of the fields. Due to their small sensor size and favorable optical and spin properties, nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond are highly suitable for imaging dc and ac magnetic fields. The reported methods for detecting the direction of microwave magnetic fields use pulsed Rabi frequency measurements. Here, we demonstrate imaging of the direction of linearly polarized microwave magnetic fields using only continuous-wave experiments on NV centers. This simplifies the sensor apparatus and is particularly advantageous in applications where pulsing of the target microwave field is not possible. The method requires a static bias magnetic field oriented perpendicular to the quantization axis of NV centers. We detect the direction of an arbitrary microwave magnetic field using NV centers of two different orientations of an NV ensemble. Moreover, we demonstrate that the projection of the microwave fields onto a plane can be imaged using NV centers of a single orientation. This can be straightforwardly implemented using a single NV center.

arXiv:2506.17695Journal of Physics D Applied PhysicsOct 9, 20250 citations

Simultaneous Determination of Local Magnetic Fields and Sensor Orientation with Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Nanodiamond

Wang, Yizhou, Haochen Shen, Zhongyuan Liu +4 more

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in nanodiamonds have emerged as a promising quantum sensing platform for biomedical imaging applications, yet random orientations of individual particles present significant challenges in large-scale sensor calibration. In this study, we demonstrate a novel approach to simultaneously determine each particle's crystallographic axes and the surrounding local vector magnetic field. Specifically, a minimum of four distinct bias fields is required to unambiguously extract both the orientation and the local field. We validate our method experimentally using NV centers in two scenarios: (1) in a bulk diamond with known crystal orientation as a proof of concept, and (2) on various single nanodiamonds to mimic real-world applications. Our work represents a crucial step towards unlocking the full potential of nanodiamonds for advanced applications such as in-situ biomedical imaging and nanoscale sensing in complex environments.

arXiv:2507.05366Jul 7, 20250 citations