Improved sensitivity to magnetic fields by rotation of quantum sensors

A. A. Wood, A. G. Aeppli, E. Lilette, Y. Y. Fein, A. Stacey, L. C. L. Hollenberg, R. E. Scholten, A. M. Martin

Published 2018-02-12Version 1

Magnetic sensors are typically much more sensitive to oscillating (AC) magnetic fields than static (DC) fields, due to the presence of more noise at lower frequency, typically scaling with a $1/f$ dependence. For quantum magnetometers, this characteristic noise is reflected in the ensemble dephasing time $T_2^*$, the relevant sensing time for a DC field, being much lower than the spin coherence time $T_2$, which determines the sensitivity to AC fields. Here, we demonstrate measurement of DC magnetic fields using a physically rotating ensemble of nitrogen-vacancy centres at a precision limited by the electron spin coherence time, $T_2$. We rotate the host diamond with a period comparable to $T_2$, such that the angle between the NV axis and the magnetic field to be detected changes as a function of time, upconverting the static magnetic field to an oscillating field in the physically rotating frame. Using spin-echo interferometry, we observe an order of magnitude improvement in DC magnetometer response compared to a conventional Ramsey experiments. Enhancements to our scheme could realise DC sensitivities equivalent to demonstrated AC magnetic field sensitivities with NV centres.