Parallel Magnetic Sensing Chip with Sequential Laser Excitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for high-throughput magnetic sensing of multiple samples using nitrogen-vacancy centers are limited by excessive laser power demands and the risk of sample damage, preventing parallel measurements beyond a handful of sites.
Innovation Solution
A sensor chip with an optically transparent substrate and a light guiding system that sequentially illuminates multiple sensing regions using a re-used laser pulse, minimizing optical power and reducing interference with samples.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If laser power is increased to simultaneously excite NV centers at multiple sites, then parallel measurement capability is improved, but sample damage and optical element damage risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the excitation process into sequential temporal segments, where different sets of NV centers are excited at different time intervals using the same laser beam. The laser beam is directed to different spatial locations at different times, allowing multiple sensing sites to be excited sequentially rather than simultaneously, thus avoiding the need for high peak power that would damage samples.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic scanning of the laser beam across multiple sensing regions, exciting NV centers in a repeating cycle. Each sensing region receives excitation light during its designated time window in the periodic sequence, enabling parallel measurement capability across multiple sites while using moderate laser power that is applied intermittently rather than continuously at high intensity.
2Productivity
If laser power is increased to simultaneously excite NV centers at multiple sites, then parallel measurement capability is improved, but optical element damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The excitation process is segmented in time, with the laser beam directed to different sensing regions at different time intervals. This temporal segmentation allows the use of moderate laser power that is sufficient for excitation when focused on individual regions, but does not expose optical elements to the cumulative high intensity that would occur with simultaneous multi-site excitation.
Solution Approach 2:
The laser beam scans periodically across multiple sensing regions, providing excitation light in a cyclic manner. Each optical element is exposed to laser light only during its specific time window in the periodic sequence, reducing cumulative thermal load and damage risk while maintaining the ability to measure multiple samples in parallel through the periodic measurement cycle.
3Productivity
If high laser power is used to excite multiple sites, then measurement throughput is improved, but cost of optics increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single laser source and single optical beam path are designed to serve multiple sensing regions sequentially. The same optical components (laser, mirrors, lenses) are reused for exciting NV centers at different spatial locations at different times, eliminating the need for multiple independent laser systems and their associated expensive optics for each sensing site, thus reducing overall system cost while maintaining parallel measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system is designed with a segmented beam scanning approach, where one laser beam is temporally and spatially directed to different sensing regions. This segmentation allows a single set of optical components to perform the work of multiple independent systems, reducing the total number of expensive optical elements required while achieving multi-site measurement throughput.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables high-throughput magnetic sensing of multiple samples without damaging them, by efficiently distributing optical power across multiple sensing regions, allowing for parallel measurements on a larger scale.
Implementation Method 1
a light guiding system that is configured to provide an optical path through the substrate, wherein the optical path connects each of the sensing regions
Implementation Method 2
nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond... constitute a versatile quantum system exhibiting an atom-like energy spectrum with electronic and spin degrees of freedom, which react to external electric and magnetic fields and can moreover be manipulated with light and microwaves
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein is a sensor chip for parallelized magnetic sensing of a plurality of samples, a system for parallelized magnetic sensing of a plurality of samples and a method for probing a plurality of samples using optically addressable solid-state spin systems. The sensor chip comprises an optically transparent substrate comprising a plurality of optically addressable solid-state spin systems arranged in a plurality of sensing regions in a surface layer below a top surface of the substrate. The sensor chip further comprises a plurality of sample sites, wherein each sample site is arranged above a respective sensing region. The sensor chip has a light guiding system configured to provide an optical path through the substrate connecting each of the sensing regions.