NICOP - Towards a picotesla DC diamond magnetometer
Abstract
Proposal is focused on modifying and characterizing nitrogen vacancy centres in diamond crystals. The motivation for this is to develop the scientific foundation needed to evaluate the possibility of ultra-sensitive, compact magnetometers for use by the US DoD. Theory and recent experiments support an estimate that these magnetometers could be orders of magnitude more sensitive than SOA technology while also potentially being smaller and less sensitive to temperature and vibration. The effort under this proposal will be closely coordinated with an ONR funded effort at MIT. The focus of the UK effort is to optimize the diamond samples that MIT will then test for performance. This research is of strong interest to UK DSTL. Brian Holloway has met with the DSTL program manager and he has requested 10M GBP for a program in this area. If approved it would start right about the time this effort would be ending. Funding this effort now would provide an excellent ramp and would explicitly link in US-based collaborators to the DSTL program. Further, the ONR PM who is funding the MIT work, Steve Potashnik, is submitting an SBIR topic to fund device development of technology in this area based on the scientific progress assumed from his funding and the funding of this proposal. Steve has reviewed this proposal and is strongly supportive. This discussion was started by Tony Lyons who had worked out most of the details before he left and I got involved. Regardless, Brian Holloway really liked the proposal and the work and thought it is a great opportunity for ONRG to help facilitate a new area that will be important to the Navy. Brian recommended full funding.In addition to the above justification provided by Brian Holloway, I would like to add that the need for more sensitive magnetometers is rising due to the fact that several underwater objects are becoming increasingly more difficult to detect with acoustic means. Sensitive magnetometers are also needed to locate unexploded ordinance. Furthermore, to operate from small platforms such as unmanned aerial or underwater vehicles, magnetometers must consume less power, must be miniaturized, and have to be insensitive to platform noise. Vector magnetometers may also be effective as navigation aids, and arrays of magnetometers may, in the future, provide magnetic field maps. The PI, Dr. Mark E. Newton, is a world expert in the field of diamond physics, he has more than 100 publications and more than 1700 citations. His collaborator in MIT, Dr. Danielle Braje is an expert in magnetometry. I have also discussed this proposal with Steve Potashnik. He and I strongly recommend funding this proposal.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 23, 2016
- Source ID
- N629091612111
Entities
People
- Mark Newton
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Warwick