Gyroscopes based on nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsDmitry Budker, Micah Ledbetter, Kasper Jensen, Andrey Jarmola
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Abstract
A solid-state gyroscope apparatus based on ensembles of negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV−) centers in diamond and methods of detection are provided. In one method, rotation of the NV− symmetry axis will induce Berry phase shifts in the NV− electronic ground-state coherences proportional to the solid angle subtended by the symmetry axis. A second method uses a modified Ramsey scheme where Berry phase shifts in the 14N hyperfine sublevels are employed.
Claims21
A method of inertial sensing, comprising:
- (a) providing a diamond sensor with a plurality of nitrogen-vacancy centers;
- (b) exposing the diamond sensor to a magnetic field along nitrogen-vacancy center axes;
- (c) rotating the diamond sensor to generate geometric phase shifts in the nitrogen-vacancy centers;
- (d) detecting the geometric phase shifts;
- and
- (e) reading information from the geometric phase shifts.
A method of inertial sensing, comprising:
- (a) providing a diamond sensor with a plurality of nitrogen-vacancy centers;
- (b) exposing the diamond sensor to a magnetic field;
- (c) illuminating the diamond sensor in the magnetic field with a 532-nm light;
- (d) applying a first radio frequency pulse at a hyperfine transition frequency initiating the sensor to a state sensitive to rotations;
- (e) rotating the diamond sensor to generate geometric phase shifts;
- (f) applying a second radio frequency pulse at a hyperfine transition frequency to convert the sensor to a state that can be optically probed;
- and
- (g) reading nuclear spin states.
A solid state gyroscope apparatus, comprising:
- a diamond with a plurality of nitrogen-vacancy centers on a spindle;
- a 532-nm light source configured to expose the diamond to light;
- a magnetic field source configured to expose the diamond to a magnetic field;
- a microwave radiation source configured to expose the diamond to microwave radiation;
- and
- a detector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.