Diamond magnetometer enhanced by ferrite flux concentrators

Abstract

Magnetometers based on nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond are promising room-temperature, solid-state sensors. However, their reported sensitivity to magnetic fields at low frequencies (≲1kHz) is presently ≳10pTs^{1/2}, precluding potential applications in medical imaging, geoscience, and navigation. Here we show that high-permeability magnetic flux concentrators, which collect magnetic flux from a larger area and concentrate it into the diamond sensor, can be used to improve the sensitivity of diamond magnetometers. By inserting an NV-doped diamond membrane between two ferrite cones in a bowtie configuration, we realize a ∼250-fold increase of the magnetic field amplitude within the diamond. We demonstrate a sensitivity of ∼0.9pTs^{1/2} to magnetic fields in the frequency range between 10 and 1000Hz. This is accomplished using a dual-resonance modulation technique to suppress the effect of thermal shifts of the NV spin levels. The magnetometer uses 200mW of laser power and 20mW of microwave power. This work introduces a new degree of freedom for the design of diamond sensors by using structured magnetic materials to manipulate magnetic fields.