US 11,988,619 B2
NV-center-based microwave-free quantum sensor and uses and characteristics thereof
Jan Berend Meijer, Bochum (DE); Robert Staacke, Leipzig (DE); Nils Meijer, Bochum (DE); and Bernd Burchard, Essen (DE)
Assigned to QUANTUM TECHNOLOGIES GMBH, Leipzig (DE)
Appl. No. 17/629,171
Filed by Quantum Technologies GmbH, Leipzig (DE)
PCT Filed Jul. 22, 2020, PCT No. PCT/DE2020/100648
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 21, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/013308, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 28, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 009 153.1 (DE), filed on Jul. 25, 2019; application No. 10 2019 005 484.9 (DE), filed on Aug. 5, 2019; application No. 10 2019 009 155.8 (DE), filed on Aug. 5, 2019; application No. 10 2019 129 092.9 (DE), filed on Oct. 28, 2019; application No. 10 2019 130 115.7 (DE), filed on Nov. 7, 2019; application No. 10 2020 107 831.5 (DE), filed on Mar. 22, 2020; and application No. 10 2020 003 532.9 (DE), filed on Apr. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0307997 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. G01V 3/00 (2006.01); C01B 32/26 (2017.01); C01B 32/28 (2017.01); C09K 11/65 (2006.01); G01N 24/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 24/006 (2013.01) [C01B 32/26 (2017.08); C01B 32/28 (2017.08); C09K 11/65 (2013.01); C01P 2002/52 (2013.01); C01P 2006/60 (2013.01); C01P 2006/88 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for producing a diamond with a high concentration of NV centers,
comprising:
providing a diamond blank:
wherein the diamond blank, when provided, comprises nitrogen atoms in a form of P1 centers; and/or
the diamond blank being of a yellow color when supplied; and/or
the diamond blank being of GIA colors “fancy yellow” or “fancy deep yellow” or “fancy light yellow” or “fancy intense yellow” when supplied; and/or
wherein the diamond blank, when provided, comprises nitrogen atoms together with hydrogen;
irradiating the diamond blank with particles:
wherein:
an energy of the particles is greater than 4 MeV;
an irradiation dose is between 5*1017 cm−2 and a*1019cm−2;
a temperature of the diamond blank during irradiation is greater than 600° C. and less than 1200° C.;
a radiation current of an electric current of the particles is adjusted such that an irradiation time to achieve the irradiation dose is at least 0.05 days;
the particles are electrons;
the temperature of the diamond blank is controlled by controlling a heating energy pulse height and/or a sensing factor and/or a temporal heating energy pulse spacing and/or a heating energy pulse width, whereby the control takes place in dependence on a temperature value;
the diamond blank is a synthetic HPHT diamond blank or a synthetic CVD diamond blank;
the temperature of the diamond blank during the irradiation is measured as a temperature value;
a total energy input to the diamond blank is composed of an energy from a heating device, a thermal energy derived via a thermal bleeder resistor, and a heating energy of the electron beam during the irradiation;
the diamond blank is heated with electrons during the irradiation;
the heating energy of the electron beam is determined by an energy of the electrons and an average beam current;
by controlling the total energy input by controlling at least one energy flow into the diamond blank during the irradiation and, if necessary, a total energy dissipation in such a way that a temperature probe placed in a vicinity of the diamond blank during the irradiation detects an average irradiation temperature of the diamond blank of greater than 600° C. and less 1200° C.;
the beam current of the electric current of the electrons of the electron beam is controlled;
a pulsed accelerator is used for the irradiation with the pulsed electron beam;
during irradiation a pulsation of the electron beam and thus also its heating energy is stabilized by a control system, such that a relevant controlled heating energy current, which heats the diamond blank during irradiation, is at least temporarily pulse-modulated in parts;
the heating energy is supplied pulsed or PWM-modulated or otherwise pulse-modulated by heating energy pulses;
the control is performed by adjusting the heating pulse width, the heating pulse spacing or a duty cycle of a pulse modulation of the heating pulses.