Nanothermometry with Enhanced Sensitivity and Enlarged Working Range Using Diamond Sensors

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Materials Science
• Quantum Sensing

Background:

• Nanothermometry is crucial for advanced research but faces challenges in sensitivity and temperature range.
• Diamond with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers offers unique properties for nanoscale sensing.
• Current NV-based nanothermometry has limitations in sensitivity and high-temperature applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the temperature sensitivity of diamond-based nanothermometry.
• To extend the working temperature range of NV-based sensors.
• To develop practical schemes for site-specific temperature sensing at the nanoscale.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing hybrid structures of nanodiamond and magnetic nanoparticles to transduce and amplify temperature signals.
• Implementing a pulsed heating-cooling scheme for high-temperature quantum sensing (up to 1000 K).
• Leveraging the spin resonance frequency shift with temperature in NV centers.

Main Results:

• Achieved a record temperature sensitivity of 76 μK/√Hz using hybrid nanodiamond-magnetic nanoparticle structures.
• Demonstrated reliable quantum sensing with NV centers at temperatures up to 1000 K.
• Showcased the potential for site-specific temperature sensing with nanoscale spatial resolution.

Conclusions:

• Diamond nanothermometry can be significantly enhanced in sensitivity and working temperature range.
• Hybrid nanostructure designs and advanced pulsing techniques are key to overcoming current limitations.
• Further research is needed to address unsolved problems and expand future applications.