High-Precision Mapping of Diamond Crystal Strain Using Quantum Interferometry
- Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (United States); National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, CO (United States)
- Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)
- Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)
- Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (United States)
- Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (United States)
Crystal-strain variation imposes significant limitations on many quantum sensing and information applications for solid-state defect qubits in diamond. Thus, the precision measurement and control of diamond crystal strain is a key challenge. Here, we report diamond strain measurements with a unique set of capabilities, including micron-scale spatial resolution, a millimeter-scale field of view, and a 2-order-of-magnitude improvement in volume-normalized sensitivity over previous work, reaching 5(2)×10-8/√Hzμm-3 (with spin-strain coupling coefficients representing the dominant systematic uncertainty). We use strain-sensitive spin-state interferometry on ensembles of nitrogen-vacancy (N-V) color centers in single-crystal bulk diamond with low strain gradients. This quantum interferometry technique provides insensitivity to magnetic-field inhomogeneity from the electronic and nuclear spin bath, thereby enabling long N-V–ensemble electronic spin dephasing times and enhanced strain sensitivity, as well as broadening the potential applications of the technique beyond isotopically enriched or high-purity diamond. We demonstrate the strain-sensitive measurement protocol first on a confocal scanning laser microscope, providing quantitative measurement of sensitivity as well as three-dimensional strain mapping; and second on a wide-field-imaging quantum diamond microscope. Our strain-microscopy technique enables fast, sensitive characterization for diamond material engineering and nanofabrication; as well as diamond-based sensing of strains applied externally, as in diamond anvil cells or embedded diamond stress sensors, or internally, as by crystal damage due to particle-induced nuclear recoils.
- Research Organization:
- Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC (United States); Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC); US Army Research Office (ARO); Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA); National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0019396; SC0021654; W911NF-19-2-0181; D18AC00033; 1541959
- OSTI ID:
- 1979644
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review Applied, Vol. 17, Issue 2; ISSN 2331-7019
- Publisher:
- American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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