Diamond nitrogen vacancy sensor with nitrogen-vacancy center diamond located between dual RF sources

• US 10,520,558 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2016
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Hahn, Joseph W., Huynh, Duc, Lew, Wilbur
• Primary Examiner(s): Patidar, Jay
• Application Number:
  US15/003,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20170212180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 324300-322
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/032 using magneto-optic devices, e.g. Faraday or Cotton-Mouton effect

Abstract

A magnetic field sensor assembly includes a first radio frequency (RF) element; a second RF element; an RF feed cable operably connected to the first RF element and the second RF element that provides an RF signal to the first RF element and the second RF element; and a magneto-optical defect center material located between the first RF element and the second RF element. The first RF element and the second RF element generate a microwave signal that is uniform over the magneto-optical defect center material. The magneto-optical defect center material may be a nitrogen-vacancy center diamond.

Claims

1. A magnetic field sensor assembly comprising:

a first radio frequency (RF) element;

a second RF element;

an RF feed cable operably connected to the first RF element and the second RF element that provides an RF signal to the first RF element and the second RF element;

a magneto-optical defect center material located between the first RF element and the second RF element, wherein the first RF element and the second RF element generate a microwave signal that is uniform over the magneto-optical defect center material;

a first circuit board that includes the first RF element, wherein the first circuit board comprises a light ingress portion that allows light to travel through the first circuit board including the first RF element via the light ingress portion; and

a second circuit board that includes the second RF element, wherein the second circuit board comprises a light egress portion that allows light to travel through the second circuit board including the second RF element via the light egress portion.

2. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising a spacer between the first RF element and the second RF element that separates the first RF element and the second RF element.

3. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 2, further comprising a light ingress portion within the spacer that allows light to travel through the spacer to the magneto-optical defect center material.

4. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising a photo sensor that receives the light that egresses from the light egress portion.

5. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the magneto-optical defect center material comprises a nitrogen-vacancy center diamond.

6. A magnetic field sensor assembly comprising:

a first radio frequency (RF) element;

a second RF element;

an RF feed cable operably connected to the first RF element and the second RF element that provides an RF signal to the first RF element and the second RF element;

a magneto-optical defect center material located between the first RF element and the second RF element, wherein the first RF element and the second RF element generate a microwave signal that is uniform over the magneto-optical defect center material;

a first circuit board that includes the first RF element, wherein the first circuit board comprises a first light egress portion that allows light to travel through the first circuit board including the first RF element via the first light egress portion; and

a second circuit board that includes the second RF element, wherein the second circuit board comprises a second light egress portion that allows light to travel through the second circuit board including the second RF element via the second light egress portion.

7. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 6, further comprising:

a first photo sensing assembly that receives light from the magneto-optical defect center material via the first light egress portion; and

a second photo sensing assembly that receives light from the magneto-optical defect center material via the second light egress portion.

8. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 6, wherein the magneto-optical defect center material comprises a nitrogen-vacancy center diamond.

9. A magnetic field sensor assembly comprising:

a first radio frequency (RF) element;

a second RF element;

a first RF feed cable operably connected to the first RF element that provides a first RF signal to the first RF element;

a second RF feed cable operably connected to the second RF element that provides a second RF signal to the second RF element;

a magneto-optical defect center material located between the first RF element and the second RF element, wherein the first RF element and the second RF element generate a microwave signal that is uniform over the magneto-optical defect center material; and

a first circuit board that includes the first RF element, wherein the first circuit board comprises a light ingress portion that allows light to travel through the first circuit board including the first RF element via the light ingress portion; and

a second circuit board that includes the second RF element, wherein the second circuit board comprises a light egress portion that allows light to travel through the second circuit board including the second RF element via the light egress portion.

10. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 9, wherein the first RF signal is the same as the second RF signal.

11. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 9, wherein the first RF signal is different from the second RF signal.

12. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 9, further comprising a spacer between the first RF element and the second RF element that separates the first RF element and the second RF element.

13. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 12, further comprising a light ingress portion within the spacer that allows light to travel through the spacer to the magneto-optical defect center material.

14. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 13, wherein the first circuit board further comprises a first light egress portion that allows light to travel through the first circuit board including the first RF element via the first light egress portion.

15. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

a first photo sensing assembly that receives light from the magneto-optical defect center material via the first light egress portion; and

a second photo sensing assembly that receives light from the magneto-optical defect center material via a second light egress portion.

16. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 9, further comprising a photo sensor that receives the light that egresses from the light egress portion.

17. A magnetic field sensor assembly comprising:

a first radio frequency (RF) element;

a second RF element;

an RF feed cable operably connected to the first RF element and the second RF element that provides an RF signal to the first RF element and the second RF element;

a nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center diamond located between the first RF element and the second RF element, wherein the first RF element and the second RF element generate a microwave signal that is uniform over the NV center diamond;

a housing that houses the NV center diamond, the first RF element, and the second RF element; and

a housing position adjustment that adjusts a position of the NV center diamond relative to a light source; and

a first circuit board that includes the first RF element, wherein the first circuit board comprises a light ingress portion that allows light to travel through the first circuit board including the first RF element via the light ingress portion; and

a second circuit board that includes the second RF element, wherein the second circuit board comprises a light egress portion that allows light to travel through the second circuit board including the second RF element via the light egress portion.

18. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 17, further comprising a spacer between the first RF element and the second RF element that separates the first RF element and the second RF element.

19. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 18, further comprising a light ingress portion within the spacer that allows light to travel through the spacer to the NV center diamond.

20. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 19, wherein the first circuit board further comprises a first light egress portion that allows light to travel through the first circuit board including the first RF element via the first light egress portion.

21. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 20, further comprising:

a first photo sensing assembly that receives light from the NV center diamond via the first light egress portion; and

a second photo sensing assembly that receives light from the NV center diamond via a second light egress portion.

22. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 17, further comprising a photo sensor that receives the light that egresses from the light egress portion.

23. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 17, further comprising a spacer between the first RF element and the second RF element that separates the first RF element and the second RF element.

24. A magnetic field sensor assembly comprising:

a first radio frequency (RF) element;

a second RF element;

an RF feed cable operably connected to the first RF element and the second RF element that provides an RF signal to the first RF element and the second RF element;

a nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center diamond located between the first RF element and the second RF element, wherein the first RF element and the second RF element generate a microwave signal that is uniform over the NV center diamond;

a housing that houses the NV center diamond, the first RF element, and the second RF element; and

a housing rotational adjustment that adjusts a rotation of the NV center diamond relative to a light source;

a first circuit board that includes the first RF element, wherein the first circuit board comprises a light ingress portion that allows light to travel through the first circuit board including the first RF element via the light ingress portion; and

a second circuit board that includes the second RF element, wherein the second circuit board comprises a light egress portion that allows light to travel through the second circuit board including the second RF element via the light egress portion.

25. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 24, further comprising a spacer between the first RF element and the second RF element that separates the first RF element and the second RF element.

26. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 25, further comprising a light ingress portion within the spacer that allows light to travel through the spacer to the NV center diamond.

27. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 26, wherein the first circuit board further comprises a first light egress portion that allows light to travel through the first circuit board including the first RF element via the first light egress portion.

28. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 27, further comprising:

a first photo sensing assembly that receives light from the NV center diamond via the first light egress portion; and

a second photo sensing assembly that receives light from the NV center diamond via a second light egress portion.

29. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 24, further comprising a photo sensor that receives the light that egresses from the light egress portion.

30. A magnetic field sensor assembly comprising:

a first radio frequency (RF) element;

a second RF element;

a first RF feed cable operably connected to the first RF element that provides a first RF signal to the first RF element;

a second RF feed cable operably connected to the second RF element that provides a second RF signal to the second RF element;

a nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center diamond located between the first RF element and the second RF element, wherein the first RF element and the second RF element generate a microwave signal that is uniform over the NV center diamond;

a housing that houses the NV center diamond, the first RF element, and the second RF element; and

a housing position adjustment that adjusts a position of the NV center diamond relative to a light source;

a first circuit board that includes the first RF element, wherein the first circuit board comprises a light ingress portion that allows light to travel through the first circuit board including the first RF element via the light ingress portion; and

a second circuit board that includes the second RF element, wherein the second circuit board comprises a light egress portion that allows light to travel through the second circuit board including the second RF element via the light egress portion.

31. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 30, wherein the first RF signal is the same as the second RF signal.

32. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 30, wherein the first RF signal is different from the second RF signal.

33. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 30, further comprising a spacer between the first RF element and the second RF element that separates the first RF element and the second RF element.

34. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 33, further comprising a light ingress portion within the spacer that allows light to travel through the spacer to the NV center diamond.

35. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 34, wherein the first circuit board further comprises a first light egress portion that allows light to travel through the first circuit board including the first RF element via the first light egress portion.

36. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 35, further comprising:

a first photo sensing assembly that receives light from the NV center diamond via the first light egress portion; and

a second photo sensing assembly that receives light from the NV center diamond via a second light egress portion.

37. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 30, further comprising a photo sensor that receives the light that egresses from the light egress portion.

38. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 30, wherein the first RF signal is the same as the second RF signal.

39. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 30, wherein the first RF signal is different from the second RF signal.

40. A magnetic field sensor assembly comprising:

a first radio frequency (RF) element;

a second RF element;

a first RF feed cable operably connected to the first RF element that provides a first RF signal to the first RF element;

a second RF feed cable operably connected to the second RF element that provides a second RF signal to the second RF element;

a nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center diamond located between the first RF element and the second RF element, wherein the first RF element and the second RF element generate a microwave signal that is uniform over the NV center diamond;

a housing that houses the NV center diamond, the first RF element, and the second RF element; and

a housing rotational adjustment that adjusts a rotation of the NV center diamond relative to a light source;

a first circuit board that includes the first RF element, wherein the first circuit board comprises a light ingress portion that allows light to travel through the first circuit board including the first RF element via the light ingress portion; and

a second circuit board that includes the second RF element, wherein the second circuit board comprises a light egress portion that allows light to travel through the second circuit board including the second RF element via the light egress portion.

41. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 40, wherein the first RF signal is the same as the second RF signal.

42. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 40, wherein the first RF signal is different from the second RF signal.

43. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 40, further comprising a spacer between the first RF element and the second RF element that separates the first RF element and the second RF element.

44. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 43, further comprising a light ingress portion within the spacer that allows light to travel through the spacer to the NV center diamond.

45. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 44, wherein the first circuit board comprises a first light egress portion that allows light to travel through the first circuit board including the first RF element via the first light egress portion.

46. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 45, further comprising:

a first photo sensing assembly that receives light from the NV center diamond via the first light egress portion; and

a second photo sensing assembly that receives light from the NV center diamond via a second light egress portion.

47. The magnetic field sensor assembly of claim 40, further comprising a photo sensor that receives the light that egresses from the light egress portion.