Sub-nanometer resolution of the nitrogen-vacancy center by Fourier magnetic imaging

Abstract

Solid-state spins in diamond are promising building blocks for quantum computing and quantum sensing, both of which require precise nanoscale addressing of individual spins. To explore the resolution limit of this approach, we demonstrate Fourier magnetic imaging of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond under state-of-the-art conditions. We constructed a highly compact experimental platform featuring thermal drift compensation under ambient conditions and generated a pulsed magnetic field gradient of up to 13.5 G/$\mu$m. By implementing the Fourier magnetic imaging protocol, we achieved localization of a single nitrogen-vacancy center with a spatial resolution of 0.28 $\pm$ 0.10 nm and a magnetic field measurement deviation of 9 nT. This technique holds potential for applications such as localizing spins within proteins and cells.