Abstract
Quantum sensors based on single solid-state spins promise a unique combination of sensitivity and spatial resolution1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20. The key challenge in sensing is to achieve minimum estimation uncertainty within a given time and with high dynamic range. Adaptive strategies have been proposed to achieve optimal performance, but their implementation in solid-state systems has been hindered by the demanding experimental requirements. Here, we realize adaptive d.c. sensing by combining single-shot readout of an electron spin in diamond with fast feedback. By adapting the spin readout basis in real time based on previous outcomes, we demonstrate a sensitivity in Ramsey interferometry surpassing the standard measurement limit. Furthermore, we find by simulations and experiments that adaptive protocols offer a distinctive advantage over the best known non-adaptive protocols when overhead and limited estimation time are taken into account. Using an optimized adaptive protocol we achieve a magnetic field sensitivity of 6.1 ± 1.7 nT Hz−1/2 over a wide range of 1.78 mT. These results open up a new class of experiments for solid-state sensors in which real-time knowledge of the measurement history is exploited to obtain optimal performance.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank M. Tiggelman and R. Schouten for the development of the FPGA. The authors acknowledge support from the Dutch Organization for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM), the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), the DARPA QuASAR programme, the EU SOLID and DIAMANT programmes and the European Research Council through a starting grant. D.W.B. is funded by an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT100100761).
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C.B., M.S.B. and R.H. conceived the experiments. C.B. and M.S.B. performed the measurements and numerical simulations and processed the data. H.T.D. and D.W.B. calculated the incremental phases for the optimized adaptive protocol and provided general theoretical support. M.L.M. and D.J.T. designed and carried out the synthesis of isotopically enriched diamond material. C.B., M.S.B. and R.H. wrote the manuscript. All authors analysed the results and commented on the manuscript.
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Bonato, C., Blok, M., Dinani, H. et al. Optimized quantum sensing with a single electron spin using real-time adaptive measurements. Nature Nanotech 11, 247–252 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2015.261
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2015.261
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