The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center is one of the major platforms in the evolving field of quantum technologies. The inertial surveying technology based on NV centers in diamond is a developing field with both scientific and technological importance. Quantum measurement using the solid-state spin of the NV center has demonstrated potential in both high-precision and small-volume low-cost devices. In terms of rotation measurement, the optically detected magnetic resonance has provided a perspective of the rotation measurement mechanism via the solid-state spin of the NV center. A new type of gyroscope based on the solid-state spin in diamond according to the theory has attracted considerable attention. In addition, combined with the ingenious quantum mechanics manipulation and coupling mechanism, acceleration measurement can be achieved through an efficient quantum detection technology of the NV center. This review summarizes the recent research progress in diamond-based inertial measurement, including sensitivity optimization methods for inertial measurement systems based on the NV center.
The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center is one of the major platforms in the evolving field of quantum technologies. The inertial surveying technology based on NV centers in diamond is a developing field with both scientific and technological importance. Quantum measurement using the solid-state spin of the NV center has demonstrated potential in both high-precision and small-volume low-cost devices. In terms of rotation measurement, the optically detected magnetic resonance has provided a perspective of the rotation measurement mechanism via the solid-state spin of the NV center. A new type of gyroscope based on the solid-state spin in diamond according to the theory has attracted considerable attention. In addition, combined with the ingenious quantum mechanics manipulation and coupling mechanism, acceleration measurement can be achieved through an efficient quantum detection technology of the NV center. This review summarizes the recent research progress in diamond-based inertial measurement, including sensitivity optimization methods for inertial measurement systems based on the NV center.
In the field of quantum physics, quantum control is essential. Precise and efficient quantum control is a prerequisite for the experimental research using quantum systems, and it is also the basis for applications such as in quantum computing and quantum sensing. As a solid-state spin system, the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond has a long coherence time at room temperature. It can be initialized and read out by optical methods, and can achieve universal quantum control through the microwave field and radio frequency fields. It is an excellent experimental platform for studying quantum physics. In this review, we introduce the recent results of quantum control in NV center and discuss the following parts: 1) the physical properties of the NV center and the realization method of quantum control, 2) the decoherence mechanism of the NV center spin qubit, and 3) the application of single-spin quantum control and relevant research progress.
Quantum sensors encompass a diverse class of devices that exploit quantum coherence to detect weak or nanoscale signals. As their behavior is tied to physical constants, quantum sensors can achieve accuracy, repeatability, and precision approaching fundamental limits [1, 2]. As a result, these sensors have shown utility in a wide range of applications in both science and engineering leading to innovations. Among many solid-state spin systems, nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamonds have attracted considerable attention as a leading platform in many fields of quantum technologies, from quantum sensing to information processing and communication applications. They have superior physical properties, and their quantum coherence is preserved even at room temperature. The energy levels of NV centers are sensitive to magnetic fields, electric fields, strain, and temperature, and the spatial resolution is scalable from nanometers to millimeters. Therefore, diamond quantum sensors are distinctive sensors with multimodality and span scalable application fields. To realize an ideal quantum sensor for applications, the technical challenges in the sensor materials and the quantum control techniques, such as coherent microwave spin manipulation, effective optical spin-state initialization, and readout, have been developed. This chapter briefly explains the sensing principle using NV centers and then introduces sensor systems for biomedical applications, and monitoring of batteries for electric vehicles and internal power devices.
Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond have recently emerged as a unique platform for fundamental studies in quantum information and nanoscience. The special properties of these impurity centers allow robust, room-temperature operation of solid-state qubits and have enabled several remarkable demonstrations in quantum information processing and precision nanoscale sensing. This article reviews the recent advances in magnetic and optical manipulation of the NV center’s quantum spin and their importance for prospective applications. We discuss how quantum control of individual centers can be harnessed for the protection of NV-center spin coherence, for multiqubit quantum operations in the presence of decoherence, and for high-fidelity initialization and readout. We also discuss the progress in resonant optical control, which has led to interfaces between spin and photonic qubits and may lead to spin networks based on diamond photonics. Many of these recently developed diamond-based technologies constitute critical components for the future leap toward practical multiqubit devices.
Quantum sensing has witnessed rapid development and transition from laboratories to practical applications in the past decade. Applications of quantum sensors, ranging from nanotechnologies to biosensing, are expected to benefit from quantum sensors' unprecedented spatial resolution and sensitivity. Solid-state spin systems are particularly attractive platforms for quantum sensing technologies because room temperature operation is viable while reaching the quantum limits of sensitivity. Among various solid-state spin systems, nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond demonstrated high-fidelity initialization, coherent control, and high contrast readout of the electron spin state. However, electron spin coherence due to noise from the surrounding spin bath and this environment effect limits the sensitivity of NV centers. Thus, a critical task in NV center-based quantum sensing is sensitivity enhancement through coherence protection. Several strategies, such as dynamical decoupling techniques, feedback control, and nuclear spin-assisted sensing protocols, have been developed and realized for this task. Among these strategies, nuclear spin-assisted protocols have demonstrated greater enhancement of electron spin coherence. In addition, the electron and nuclear spin pair of an NV center in diamond naturally allows the application of the nuclear spin-assisted sensitivity enhancement protocol. Owing to long nuclear coherence times, further enhancement of sensitivity can be achieved by exploiting active nuclear spins (e.g., 14N, 13C) in the proximity of an NV center as memory ancillas when coupled with the NV center. Here, we review the spin properties of NV centers, mechanisms of the nuclear spin-assisted protocol and its gate variation, and the status of quantum sensing applications in high-resolution nuclear spin spectroscopy, atomic imaging, and magnetic field sensing. We discuss the potential for commercialization, current challenges in sensitivity enhancement, and conclude with future research directions for promoting the development of nuclear spin-assisted protocol and its integration into industrial applications.
This thesis investigates the theoretical foundations, material properties, and experimental realization of quantum sensors based on the Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centers in diamond, a solid-state system that combines quantum coherence with room-temperature operability. The first chapter introduces the principles of quantum sensing, outlining the fundamental definitions, operating protocols, and physical processes underlying the quantum measurement paradigm. Emphasis is placed on the quantum sensing Hamiltonian and the distinction between various classes of quantum sensors. The second chapter focuses on diamond as a host material and on the NV center as a quantum defect. The electronic structure, optical transitions, and spin properties of the NV center are analyzed in detail. Several techniques of NV-based magnetometry are presented, including continuouswave and pulsed optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR). The discussion also addresses coherence times (T1, T2, and T∗2 ) and methods of diamond synthesis together with NV-center generation through irradiation and annealing. Chapter three develops the physical theory describing the NV center. The Hamiltonian formalism includes spin-spin, hyperfine, and quadrupolar interactions, as well as couplings to external magnetic fields. The chapter further introduces the Bloch sphere representation, magnetic resonance phenomena, and models of lightmatter interaction, ranging from the semiclassical to the fully quantum Rabi framework. A seven-level rate-equation model is proposed to capture the spin dynamics and optical cycling processes of the NV center. The fourth chapter reports the experimental results. After describing materials and methods, several ODMR-based vector magnetometry experiments are presented, highlighting different spectral regimes and the dependence of resonance features on the external magnetic field geometry. Additional studies demonstrate temperature sensing and microwave-free magnetometry techniques for mapping magnetic field distributions. Sensitivity analysis and calibration procedures are also discussed.
The ability of penetrating deeply into single quantum system can help reveal the unique information of the quantum individuals used to be averaged by the ensemble statistics in traditional macroscopic measurement. The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond, which has an ultralong coherence time and can be readout and manipulated through ODMR (optically detected magnetic resonance) techniques under room temperature, has been an important platform achieving quantum precision measurement and quantum information processing. Particularly in magnetometry, the researches on single spin imaging are in full swing. In this review we retrospect the work about quantum precision metrology based on the NV center, and introduce the progress in sensing magnetic field, electric field, mechanical system and temperature. We also discuss the possible developing directions in this area.