It was recalled that the localized spin triplet ground state of a nitrogen vacancy center in diamond could be used in atomic-scale detection of local magnetic fields. A technique, using ensembles of these defects in diamond to image fields around magnetic structures, was presented here. The local magnetic field vector was extracted by probing resonant transitions of the four fixed tetrahedral nitrogen vacancy orientations. In combination with confocal microscopy techniques, a two-dimensional image of the local magnetic field vectors was constructed. Measurements were performed in external fields of less than 50G and under ambient conditions.

Vector Magnetic Field Microscopy Using Nitrogen Vacancy Centers in Diamond. B.J.Maertz, A.P.Wijnheijmer, G.D.Fuchs, M.E.Nowakowski, D.D.Awschalom: Applied Physics Letters, 2010, 96[9], 092504