Nanoscale magnetometry through quantum control of nitrogen-vacancy centres in rotationally diffusing nanodiamonds

Abstract

The confluence of quantum physics and biology is driving a new generation of quantum-based sensing and imaging technology capable of harnessing the power of quantum effects to provide tools to understand the fundamental processes of life. One of the most promising systems in this area is the nitrogen-vacancy centre in diamond - a natural spin qubit which remarkably has all the right attributes for nanoscale sensing in ambient biological conditions. Typically the nitrogen-vacancy qubits are fixed in tightly controlled/isolated experimental conditions. In this work quantum control principles of nitrogen-vacancy magnetometry are developed for a randomly diffusing diamond nanocrystal. We find that the accumulation of geometric phases, due to the rotation of the nanodiamond plays a crucial role in the application of a diffusing nanodiamond as a bio-label and magnetometer. Specifically, we show that a freely diffusing nanodiamond can offer real-time information about local magnetic fields and its own rotational behaviour, beyond continuous optically detected magnetic resonance monitoring, in parallel with operation as a fluorescent biomarker.

9 pages, with 5 figures

References in corpus (3)

• High-sensitivity diamond magnetometer with nanoscale resolution
• Stable Three-Axis Nuclear Spin Gyroscope in Diamond
• Gyroscopes based on nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond

Cited by in corpus (12)

• Mapping the Microscale Origins of MRI Contrast with Subcellular NV Diamond Magnetometry
• Robust and efficient control of spin probes in a complex (biological) environment. Towards sensing of fast temperature fluctuations
• Observation of a quantum phase from classical rotation of a single spin
• In situ electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy using single nanodiamond sensors
• The non-Abelian geometric phase in the diamond nitrogen-vacancy center
• Glass-patternable notch-shaped microwave architecture for on-chip spin detection in biological samples
• Quantum-grade nanodiamonds for ultrabright spin detection in live cells
• Quantum control of nuclear spin qubits in a rapidly rotating diamond
• Observation of rotational Brownian motion of single diamond nanoparticles
• Localized Nitrogen-Vacancy centers generated by low-repetition rate fs-laser pulses
• Diamond quantum sensors in microfluidics technology
• Sensing of single nuclear spins in random thermal motion with proximate nitrogen-vacancy centers