The quantum properties of NV centers in diamonds enable them to serve as accurate magnetic sensors operating in a small detection volume.

In this poster we present measurement made in our lab exhibiting magnetic sensitivity of ~100 nT in a ~10^-15 m³ volume. We also demonstrate the coherence properties of the diamond samples using Rabi oscillations spectroscopy. The ensemble coherence time of these oscillations was measured to be ~0.4 μs.

In particular, NV centers can be effective in 2D magnetic microscopy of thin layers, since we can engineer the "NV layer", which is, in fact, the layer of our sensors, to be extremely thin (~10 nm) and couple it tightly to the measured layer.

In the near future we intend to use such diamond samples, which were prepared in our lab, to detect the magnetic field of superconducting vortices. Here we present the quality of these samples as well as first measurements made in the cryogenic setup.

Another direction we follow in the field of diamond magnetometry is the search for novel readout schemes which will both enhance the accuracy of the sensors and produce real time (or non destructive) detection. This will involve new types of light-matter interactions with the NV sample. For example, the generation of a three level optical lambda system as done in alkali atom magnetometery.  For this purpose we are currently exploring the coherent coupling of the spin levels in the NV center's excited state, and the required on-chip co-planar wave guide and its performance is presented.