A Fully-integrated Diamond Nitrogen-Vacancy Magnetometer with Nanotesla Sensitivity

Abstract: Ensemble diamond nitrogen-vacancy (DNV) centers have emerged as a promising platform for precise earth-field vector magnetic sensing, particularly in applications that require high mobility. Nevertheless, integrating all control utilities into a compact form has proven challenging, thus far limiting the sensitivity of mobile DNV magnetometers to the uT-level. This study introduces a fully integrated DNV magnetometer that encompasses all the essential components typically found in traditional platforms, while maintaining compact dimensions of approximately 13 cm * 26 cm. In contrast to previous efforts, we successfully address these challenges by integrating a high-power laser, a lock-in amplifier, and a digitally-modulated microwave source. These home-made components show comparable performance with commercial devices under our circumstance, resulting in an optimal sensitivity of 2.14 nT/sqrt{Hz}. The limitations in this system as well as possible future improvements are discussed. This work paves the way for the use of DNV magnetometry in cost-effective, mobile unmanned aerial vehicles, facilitating a wide range of practical applications.