2026/08/05 by Nikhita Khera, Ephraim Spindler, Yanis Abdedou +7
Physics and Astronomy · #cond-mat.mes-hall #physics.app-ph #quant-ph
16 pages, 11 figures, 1 table
arxiv created 2026/08/05 · arxiv updated 2026/08/06
Individual, scannable nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in single crystal diamond nanostructures enable nanoscale, quantitative imaging of magnetic stray fields. Nevertheless, important parameters like distance between the NV center and the sample and the orientation of the NV high symmetry axis are often not known precisely and enter data evaluation as free fitting parameters. We here use scanning NV imaging on micro-patterned, perpendicularly magnetized stripes and discs. From these measurements, we directly infer NV - sample distance dNV and the NV's azimuthal orientation without the need for an external vector magnet control. We determine dNV = 31.5 nm, while we infer the azimuthal orientation with a precision of 3°. We additionally employ commercially available silicon needles to image the apex topography of our diamond nanostructures to detect surface contamination. Simultaneously, monitoring NV fluorescence as a function of the needle's position allows us to estimate the lateral placement of the NV inside the diamond nanostructure.