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Applied Physics Letters

Scanning photocurrent imaging resolution of single NV center in diamond

S. N. Nakamura, Naoya Morioka, Norikazu Mizuochi, Shigemi Mizukami, Hiroki Morishita

Published Dec 1, 2025• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

We investigated the spatial resolution of scanning photocurrent microscopy (SPhM) for imaging single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond in detail and compared it with that of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). While CLSM suffers from degraded spatial resolution due to fluorescence saturation, SPhM maintains a high spatial resolution despite the high-power laser excitation required. Numerical simulations of SPhM and CLSM images showed good agreement with experimental data and further indicated that SPhM achieves superior spatial resolution. Additionally, the signal-to-noise ratio of the photoelectrically detected magnetic resonance spectrum is comparable to that of the optically detected magnetic resonance spectrum in our home-made spectrometers. These findings suggest that SPhM can enhance the performance of NV-based quantum sensors.

DOI
10.1063/5.0286279

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We investigated the spatial resolution of scanning photocurrent microscopy (SPhM) for imaging single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond in detail and compared it with that of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). While CLSM suffers from degraded spatial resolution due to fluorescence saturation, SPhM maintains a high spatial resolution despite the high-power laser excitation required. Numerical simulations of SPhM and CLSM images showed good agreement with experimental data and further indicated that SPhM achieves superior spatial resolution. Additionally, the signal-to-noise ratio of the photoelectrically detected magnetic resonance spectrum is comparable to that of the optically detected magnetic resonance spectrum in our home-made spectrometers. These findings suggest that SPhM can enhance the performance of NV-based quantum sensors.
Quantum sensors based on nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond have attracted intensive interest due to their superior measurement sensitivity even at the single-spin level. Such a sensitive quantum spin sensor incorporating a scanning apparatus may offer a way to image spins on surfaces and micromagnetic structures. Apart from high sensitivity, superspatial resolution represents another appealing feature, although it is challenging to achieve for a NV-based scanning microscope. Here, we propose a hybrid scanning microscope scheme under ambient conditions by using single-nitrogen-vacancy-center spin in diamond to achieve high spatial resolution. With a detailed numerical analysis, we demonstrate that it is feasible to detect and distinguish individual spins with a nanometer spatial resolution.
Single nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in diamond serve as a photonic platform for quantum sensing and computing applications. They can be created deterministically using femtosecond laser pulses. Such writing process requires high-resolution fluorescence detection with a high signal-to-noise ratio, which is accomplished by setting up a homebuilt confocal fluorescence microscope. The microscope shall monitor the fluorescence of newly formed NV centers during the writing process. In addition, it will be used to characterize the NV centers’ spin coherence times, orientation in the diamond lattice and single-emitter characteristics via the intensity correlation function g(2)(tau). In the future, this setup is also planned to be employed for STED-microscopy of twin NV centers.
Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond have become an important instrument for quantum sensing and quantum information science. However, the readout of NV spin state requires bulky optical setups, limiting fabrication of miniaturized compact devices for practical use. Here we realized photoelectrical detection of magnetic resonance as well as Rabi oscillations on a single-defect level. Furthermore, photoelectrical imaging of individual NV centers at room temperature was demonstrated, surpassing conventional optical readout methods by providing high imaging contrast and signal-to-noise ratio. These results pave the way toward fully integrated quantum diamond devices.
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The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond is one of the advanced candidates for solid-state quantum computing at room temperature and has proven to be competitive in terms of gate fidelity and the availability of quantum error correction codes. Ambient solid-state qubits may therefore provide quantum computing architectures as an alternative to current solutions. The NV center has an associated electronic spin that is conventionally read out via photoluminescence. As an alternative, the electrical readout is not limited by the confocal resolution of quantum microscopes, which is required in the development of NV-based quantum processors to establish a scalable individual single-spin readout on the order of a few nanometers (necessary for strong dipole-dipole coupling). In this work, the performance of photoelectric readout versus traditional optical readout is investigated to perform Quantum State Tomography measurements on a single NV center. A state fidelity of 0.995 ±\pm± 0.006 is achieved using photoelectrical spin-state readout for state reconstruction, comparable to simultaneous optical measurements. We report photocurrent signal delays, which significantly slow down the photocurrent tomography. We develop a model describing their origin, and propose strategies for their mitigation.
The core issue for the implementation of NV center qubit technology is a sensitive readout of the NV spin state. We present here a detailed theoretical and experimental study of NV center photoionization processes, used as a basis for the design of a dual-beam photoelectric method for the detection of NV magnetic resonances (PDMR). This scheme, based on NV one-photon ionization, is significantly more efficient than the previously reported single-beam excitation scheme. We demonstrate this technique on small ensembles of $\ensuremath{\sim}10$ shallow NVs implanted in electronic grade diamond (a relevant material for quantum technology), on which we achieve a cw magnetic resonance contrast of 9%---three times enhanced compared to previous work. The dual-beam PDMR scheme allows independent control of the photoionization rate and spin magnetic resonance contrast. Under a similar excitation, we obtain a significantly higher photocurrent, and thus an improved signal-to-noise ratio, compared to single-beam PDMR. Finally, this scheme is predicted to enhance magnetic resonance contrast in the case of samples with a high proportion of substitutional nitrogen defects, and could therefore enable the photoelectric readout of single NV spins.