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Electric-field sensing using single diamond spins

Nature Physics volume 7, pages 459–463 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

The ability to sensitively detect individual charges under ambient conditions would benefit a wide range of applications across disciplines. However, most current techniques are limited to low-temperature methods such as single-electron transistors1,2, single-electron electrostatic force microscopy3 and scanning tunnelling microscopy4. Here we introduce a quantum-metrology technique demonstrating precision three-dimensional electric-field measurement using a single nitrogen-vacancy defect centre spin in diamond. An a.c. electric-field sensitivity reaching 202±6 V cm−1 Hz−1/2 has been achieved. This corresponds to the electric field produced by a single elementary charge located at a distance of ∼150 nm from our spin sensor with averaging for one second. The analysis of the electronic structure of the defect centre reveals how an applied magnetic field influences the electric-field-sensing properties. We also demonstrate that diamond-defect-centre spins can be switched between electric- and magnetic-field sensing modes and identify suitable parameter ranges for both detector schemes. By combining magnetic- and electric-field sensitivity, nanoscale detection and ambient operation, our study should open up new frontiers in imaging and sensing applications ranging from materials science to bioimaging.

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Figure 1: Schematic of the NV and the measurement scheme.
Figure 2: Theory of NV electric-field sensing and measured results.
Figure 3: Sensitivity and coherence time measurements.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank P. Neumann, B. Naydenov, R. Kolesov, C. Kim, P. Hemmer and S. Steinert for fruitful discussions and their advice. This work was supported by the EU (QAP, EQUIND, NEDQIT, SOLID), DFG(SFB/TR21, FOR730 and FOR1482), NIH, Baden-Württemberg Stiftung, BMBF (EPHQUAM, KEPHOSI),VolkswagenStiftung, and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence Scheme (project ID CE110001027). T.N. wishes to thank Vienna doctoral program CoQuS(Austrian Science Fund (FWF) project W1210).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 3rd Institute of Physics and Research Center SCOPE, University Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, D-70550 Stuttgart, Germany

    F. Dolde, H. Fedder, F. Rempp, G. Balasubramanian, T. Wolf, F. Reinhard, F. Jelezko & J. Wrachtrup

  2. Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology, School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia

    M. W. Doherty & L. C. L. Hollenberg

  3. Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology, Atominstitut, TU Wien, Stadionallee 2 1020 Vienna, Austria

    T. Nöbauer

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Contributions

F.D, H.F., T.N., G.B., T.W. and F.J. carried out the experiments; M.W.D., F. Rempp, F. Reinhard and L.C.L.H developed the theory. All authors discussed the results, analysed the data and commented on the manuscript. J.W. wrote the paper and supervised the project.

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Correspondence to H. Fedder.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Dolde, F., Fedder, H., Doherty, M. et al. Electric-field sensing using single diamond spins. Nature Phys 7, 459–463 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys1969

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