Nanoscale Covariance Magnetometry with Diamond Quantum Sensors

Correlated phenomena play a central role in condensed matter physics, but in many cases there are no tools available that allow for measurements of correlations at the relevant length scales (nanometers - microns). We have recently demonstrated that nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in diamond can be used as point sensors for measuring two-point magnetic field correlators [1]. NV centers are atom-scale defects that can be used to sense magnetic fields with high sensitivity and spatial resolution. Typically, the magnetic field is measured by averaging sequential measurements of single NV centers, or by spatial averaging over ensembles of many NV centers, which provides mean values that contain no nonlocal information about the relationship between two points separated in space or time. We recently proposed and implemented a sensing modality whereby two or more NV centers are measured simultaneously, from which we extract temporal and spatial correlations in their signals that would otherwise be inaccessible. We demonstrate measurements of correlated applied noise using spin-to-charge readout of two NV centers and implement a spectral reconstruction protocol for disentangling local and nonlocal noise sources. This novel quantum sensing platform will allow us to measure new physical quantities that are otherwise inaccessible with current tools, particularly in condensed matter systems where two-point correlators can be used to characterize charge transport, magnetism, and non-equilibrium dynamics.<br/> <br/>[1] "Nanoscale covariance magnetometry with diamond quantum sensors," J. Rovny, Z. Yuan, M. Fitzpatrick, A. I. Abdalla, L. Futamura, C. Fox, M. C. Cambria, S. Kolkowitz, N. P. de Leon, Science 378, 6626 1301-1305 (2022).