Demonstration of diamond nuclear spin gyroscope

In a new report now published in Science Advances, Andrey Jarmola and an international research team in physics and materials in the U.S. and Germany demonstrated the function of a rotation sensor based on the Nitrogen-14 (14N) nuclear spins intrinsic to nitrogen-vacancy color centers in diamond. Nitrogen vacancy color centers are formed by nitrogen impurities that sit next to a missing carbon in diamond. The sensor used optical polarization and readout of the nuclei and a radiofrequency double-quantum pulse protocol to monitor the 14N nuclear spin precession. Rotation sensors or gyroscopes are typically used for navigation and automotive guidance. Among commercial sensors including mechanical gyroscopes and microelectromechanical systems, emerging techniques include nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) gyroscopes. These sensors can surpass commercial devices within the next decade relative to accuracy, robustness and miniaturization.