METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR OPTICALLY DETECTING MAGNETIC RESONANCE
First Claim
1. A method of measuring a magnetic field with a solid-state host disposed within the magnetic field, the solid-state host comprising a first ensemble of color centers oriented along a first crystal axis of the solid-state host, the first ensemble of color centers exhibiting a first resonance in a presence of the magnetic field, the method comprising:
- frequency-locking a first microwave signal to the first resonance; and
determining an amplitude and/or direction of the magnetic field based on a frequency of the first microwave signal.
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Abstract
A magnetometer containing a crystal sensor with solid-state defects senses the magnitude and direction of a magnetic field. The solid-state defects in the crystal sensor absorb microwave and optical energy to transition between several energy states while emitting light intensity indicative of their spin states. The magnetic field alters the spin-state transitions of the solid-state defects by amounts depending on the solid-state defects'"'"' orientations with respect to the magnetic field. The optical read out, reporting the spin state of an ensemble of solid-state defects from one particular orientation class, can be used to lock microwave signals to the resonances associated with the spin-state transitions. The frequencies of the locked microwave signals can be used to reconstruct the magnetic field vector.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of measuring a magnetic field with a solid-state host disposed within the magnetic field, the solid-state host comprising a first ensemble of color centers oriented along a first crystal axis of the solid-state host, the first ensemble of color centers exhibiting a first resonance in a presence of the magnetic field, the method comprising:
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frequency-locking a first microwave signal to the first resonance; and determining an amplitude and/or direction of the magnetic field based on a frequency of the first microwave signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for measuring a magnetic field, the system comprising:
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a solid-state host comprising a first ensemble of color centers oriented along a first crystal axis of the solid-state host, the first ensemble of color centers exhibiting a first resonance in a presence of the magnetic field; a microwave signal generator, in electromagnetic communication with the solid-state host, to drive the first ensemble of color centers with a first microwave signal; a photodetector, in optical communication with the solid-state host, to detect a first fluorescence signal emitted by the first ensemble of color centers, the first fluorescence signal representing the first resonance; circuitry, operably coupled to the microwave signal generator and the photodetector, to frequency-lock the first microwave signal to the first resonance based on the first fluorescence signal; and a processor, operably coupled to the lock-in amplifier, to determining an amplitude and/or direction of the magnetic field based on a frequency of the first microwave signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification