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Review of Scientific Instruments

High efficiency radio frequency antennas for amplifier free quantum sensing applications

Sheikh Shahparan Mahtab, Peker Milas, D. Tim Veal, Michael G. Spencer, Birol Ozturk

Published Apr 1, 2023• 5 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Radio frequency (RF) signals are frequently used in emerging quantum applications due to their spin state manipulation capability. Efficient coupling of RF signals into a particular quantum system requires the utilization of carefully designed and fabricated antennas. Nitrogen vacancy (NV) defects in diamond are commonly utilized platforms in quantum sensing experiments with the optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) method, where an RF antenna is an essential element. We report on the design and fabrication of high efficiency coplanar RF antennas for quantum sensing applications. Single and double ring coplanar RF antennas were designed with -37 dB experimental return loss at 2.87 GHz, the zero-field splitting frequency of the negatively charged NV defect in diamond. The efficiency of both antennas was demonstrated in magnetic field sensing experiments with NV color centers in diamond. An RF amplifier was not needed, and the 0 dB output of a standard RF signal generator was adequate to run the ODMR experiments due to the high efficiency of the RF antennas.

DOI
10.1063/5.0136233

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Radio frequency (RF) signals are frequently used in emerging quantum applications due to their spin state manipulation capability. Efficient coupling of RF signals into a particular quantum system requires the utilization of carefully designed and fabricated antennas. Nitrogen vacancy (NV) defects in diamond are commonly utilized platforms in quantum sensing experiments with the optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) method, where an RF antenna is an essential element. We report on the design and fabrication of high efficiency coplanar RF antennas for quantum sensing applications. Single and double ring coplanar RF antennas were designed with -37 dB experimental return loss at 2.87 GHz, the zero-field splitting frequency of the negatively charged NV defect in diamond. The efficiency of both antennas was demonstrated in magnetic field sensing experiments with NV color centers in diamond. An RF amplifier was not needed, and the 0 dB output of a standard RF signal generator was adequate to run the ODMR experiments due to the high efficiency of the RF antennas.
For quantum sensing based on nitrogen-vacancies (NV) ensembles, microwave antennas can couple the microwave field to the NV center, which leads it to becoming the core of spin manipulation and can directly affect the sensitivity of quantum sensing. The double split-ring resonator is a widely used microwave device for NV ensembles due to the advantages of high radiation efficiency and uniform magnetic field in millimeter-scale areas. But the bandwidth (30 MHz) is quite narrow which limits the application in quantum sensing with NV ensembles. Here, we experimentally achieve continuous tuning of the resonant frequency of the double split-ring resonator by changing the copper sheet position on the edge of the outer ring. The frequency tuning range can reach 80 MHz, up to 2-3 times the bandwidth, which can cover the transition of the electron spin under different magnetic field conditions. The performance of the tunable antenna in the quantum operation of NV centers is verified by optically detected magnetic resonance and Rabi oscillation. This tunable antenna is promising in the fabrication of integrated and arrayed quantum sensors based on NV ensembles.
The Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) center in diamond is a prominent quantum system leveraged for advanced quantum metrology, particularly in high-precision magnetometry and high-resolution quantum imaging, exploiting the Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance (ODMR) spectroscopy technique. Proper radio-frequency (RF) excitation of NV centers is critical in order to manipulate these quantum states effectively. Our research focuses on optimizing the continuous-wave RF excitation of ensembles of NV centers on coplanar waveguide transmission lines (CPW-TL), measuring the centers' photoluminescence (PL) signal as a function of RF power. This setup enhances the sensitivity and resolution of the NV center PL signal. By combining CPW-TL lines with nanodiamonds, our approach aims to develop a scalable and tunable platform that can be deployed in a variety of quantum sensing scenarios, including in biomedical applications, navigation systems, environmental monitorlng, and beyond.
Individual nitrogen vacancy (NV) color centers in diamond are versatile, spin-based quantum sensors. Coherently controlling the spin of NV centers using microwaves in a typical frequency range between 2.5 and 3.5 GHz is necessary for sensing applications. In this work, we present a stripline-based, planar, Ω-shaped microwave antenna that enables one to reliably manipulate NV spins. We found an optimal antenna design using finite integral simulations. We fabricated our antennas on low-cost, transparent glass substrate. We created highly uniform microwave fields in areas of roughly 400 × 400 μm2 while realizing high Rabi frequencies of up to 10 MHz in an ensemble of NV centers.
Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond are solid-state quantum sensors that operate at room temperature and allow optical readout of spin states through optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR). Reliable ODMR measurements need controlled microwave excitation to manipulate NV spin states and modulate their fluorescence. In this paper, we report on ensemble NV centers’ interaction with microwave fields transmitted by printed-circuit-board (PCB) radio-frequency (RF) devices. Two microwave structures, a coplanar waveguide transmission line (CPW-TL) and a single-finger interdigitated capacitor (IDC), are designed and impedance-matched at the NV zero-field splitting frequency. Nanodiamond solutions containing NV ensembles are deposited as few-microliter droplets onto the PCB devices and dried, forming localized NV layers on the RF structures. Two-dimensional fluorescence scans are used to link spatial changes in NV fluorescence to the microwave field distributions created by each device geometry. CPW-TLs enable interaction over extended regions along the transmission line, while IDCs produce localized excitation near the capacitive gaps.
The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center is a promising candidate to realize practical quantum sensors with high sensitivity and high spatial resolution at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. In conventional high-frequency AC magnetometry with NV centers, the setup requires a pulse sequence with an appropriate time synchronization and strong microwave power. To avoid these practical difficulties, AC magnetometry using continuous-wave optically detected magnetic resonance (CW-ODMR) was recently demonstrated. That previous study utilized radio frequency (RF)-dressed states generated by the coherent interaction between the electron spin of the NV center and the RF wave. However, the drawback of this method is that the detectable frequency of the AC magnetic fields is fixed. Here, we propose and demonstrate frequency-tunable magnetic field sensing based on CW-ODMR. In the new sensing scheme, we obtain RF double-dressed states by irradiation with RF fields at two different frequencies. One creates the RF-dressed states and changes the frequency of the target AC field. The other is a target AC field that induces a change in the CW-ODMR spectrum by generating the RF double-dressed states through coherent interaction with the RF-dressed states. The sensitivity of our method is estimated to be comparable to or even higher than that of the conventional method based on the RF field with a single frequency. The estimated bandwidth is 7.5 MHz, higher than that of the conventional method using the RF-dressed states. Our frequency-tunable magnetic field sensor based on CW-ODMR paves the way for new applications in diamond devices.
The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color center in diamond has emerged as a promising candidate for quantum sensing. In this study, we propose a diamond-embedded metal antenna for magnetic detection utilizing NV center ensembles. Our approach involved employing nanofabrication and microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition techniques to fabricate the metal antenna and diamond epilayer. By directly embedding the antenna into the diamond, we effectively minimize external environmental interference, leading to improved device stability and reusability. Moreover, this integration enhances the device's compactness, making it highly suitable for on-chip quantum sensing applications. The innovative antenna design holds great potential for the development of future integrated quantum sensing devices based on NV centers in diamond.