Phase shifted magnetometry adaptive cancellation

1. A system for magnetic detection of an external magnetic field, comprising:

a magneto-optical defect center material comprising a plurality of magneto-optical defect centers;

a radio frequency (RF) excitation source configured to provide RF excitations to the magneto-optical defect center material;

an optical excitation source configured to provide optical excitation to the magneto-optical defect center material;

an optical detector configured to receive an optical signal based on light emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material; and

a controller configured to:

control the optical excitation source and the RF excitation source to apply a first pulse sequence to the magneto-optical defect center material, the first pulse sequence comprising a first optical excitation pulse, a first pair of RF excitation pulses separated by a first time period, and a second optical excitation pulse to the magneto-optical defect center material;

control the optical excitation source and the RF excitation source to apply a second pulse sequence to the magneto-optical defect center material, the second pulse sequence comprising a third optical excitation pulse, a second pair of RF excitation pulses separated by a second time period, and a fourth optical excitation pulse to the magneto-optical defect center material, wherein the excitation pulses of the first pair of RF excitation pulses have a first phase difference, the excitation pulses of the second pair of RF excitation pulses have a second phase difference, and the second phase difference is different from the first phase difference;

receive a first light detection signal from the optical detector based on an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the second optical excitation pulse;

receive a second light detection signal from the optical detector based on an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the fourth optical excitation pulse; and

compute a combined magnetometry curve as a function of the RF excitation frequency based on a difference between a measured value of the first light detection signal and a measured value of the second light detection signal; and

set the first phase difference and the second phase difference based on the combined magnetometry curve.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to compute a magnetic field acting on the magneto-optical defect center material based on the combined magnetometry curve.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the RF excitation source comprises a microwave antenna.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to apply the first pair of RF excitation pulses followed by the second pair of RF excitation pulses.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the second and fourth optical excitation pulses are fluorescence signals.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the difference between the first phase difference and the second phase difference is about 180°.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first phase difference is about 0° and the second phase difference is about 180°.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first phase difference is about -90° and the second phase difference is about 90°.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to set the first phase difference and the second phase difference so as to track a linear region of the combined magnetometry curve.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to set the first phase difference and the second phase difference so as to track a region of maximum slope of the combined magnetometry curve within a linear region.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to set the first phase difference and the second phase difference so as to track a region of maximum slope of the combined magnetometry curve.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a plurality of subcontrollers.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the magneto-optical defect center material is a nitrogen vacancy (NV) diamond material comprising a plurality of NV centers.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first time period and the second time period are the same.

15. A method for magnetic detection using a magneto-optical defect center material comprising a plurality of defect centers, the method comprising:

applying a first pulse sequence to the magneto-optical defect center material, the first pulse sequence comprising a first optical excitation pulse, a first pair of RF excitation pulses separated by a first time period, and a second optical excitation pulse to the magneto-optical defect center material;

applying a second pulse sequence to the magneto-optical defect center material, the second pulse sequence comprising a third optical excitation pulse, a second pair of RF excitation pulses separated by a second time period, and a fourth optical excitation pulse to the magneto-optical defect center material, wherein the excitation pulses of the first pair of RF excitation pulses have a first phase difference, the excitation pulses of the second pair of RF excitation pulses have a second phase difference, and the second phase difference is different from the first phase difference;

receiving a first light detection signal from an optical detector based on an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the second optical excitation pulse;

receiving a second light detection signal from the optical detector based on an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the fourth optical excitation pulse;

computing a combined magnetometry curve as a function of the RF excitation frequency based on a difference between a measured value of the first light detection signal and a measured value of the second light detection signal; and

setting the first phase difference and the second phase difference based on the combined magnetometry curve.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising computing a magnetic field acting on the magneto-optical defect center material based on the combined measurement.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first pair of RF excitation pulses is applied followed by the second pair of RF excitation pulses.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein optical signals emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the second and fourth optical excitation pulses are fluorescence signals.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the difference between the first phase difference and the second phase difference is about 180°.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first phase difference is about 0° and the second phase difference is about 180°.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first phase difference is about -90° and the second phase difference is about 90°.

22. The method of claim 15 , further comprising setting the first phase difference and the second phase difference so as to track a linear region of the combined magnetometry curve.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising setting the first phase difference and the second phase difference so as to track a region of maximum slope of the combined magnetometry curve.

24. The method of claim 15 , wherein the magneto-optical defect center material is a nitrogen vacancy (NV) diamond comprising a plurality of NV centers.

25. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first time period and the second time period are the same.

26. A system for magnetic detection using a magneto-optical defect center material comprising a plurality of defect centers, the system comprising:

means for applying a first pulse sequence to the magneto-optical defect center material, the first pulse sequence comprising a first optical excitation pulse, a first pair of RF excitation pulses separated by a first time period, and a second optical excitation pulse to the magneto-optical defect center material;

means for applying a second pulse sequence to the magneto-optical defect center material, the second pulse sequence comprising a third optical excitation pulse, a second pair of RF excitation pulses separated by a second time period, and a fourth optical excitation pulse to the magneto-optical defect center material, wherein the excitation pulses of the first pair of RF excitation pulses have a first phase difference, the excitation pulses of the second pair of RF excitation pulses have a second phase difference, and the second phase difference is different from the first phase difference;

means for receiving a first light detection signal from an optical detector based on an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the second optical excitation pulse;

means for receiving a second light detection signal from the optical detector based on an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the fourth optical excitation pulse;

means for computing a combined measurement based on a difference between a measured value of the first light detection signal and a measured value of the second light detection signal; and

means for setting the first phase difference and the second phase difference based on the combined magnetometry curve.

27. A system for magnetic detection of an external magnetic field, comprising:

a magneto-optical defect center material comprising a plurality of magneto-optical defect centers;

a radio frequency (RF) excitation source configured to provide RF excitations to the magneto-optical defect center material;

an optical excitation source configured to provide optical excitation to the magneto-optical defect center material;

an optical detector configured to receive an optical signal based on light emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material; and

a controller configured to:

control the optical excitation source and the RF excitation source to apply a first pulse sequence to the magneto-optical defect center material, the first pulse sequence comprising a first optical excitation pulse, a first pair of RF excitation pulses separated by a first time period, and a second optical excitation pulse to the magneto-optical defect center material;

control the optical excitation source and the RF excitation source to apply a second pulse sequence to the magneto-optical defect center material, the second pulse sequence comprising a third optical excitation pulse, a second pair of RF excitation pulses separated by a second time period, and a fourth optical excitation pulse to the magneto-optical defect center material, wherein the excitation pulses of the first pair of RF excitation pulses have a first phase difference, the excitation pulses of the second pair of RF excitation pulses have a second phase difference, and the second phase difference is different from the first phase difference;

receive a first light detection signal from the optical detector based on an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the second optical excitation pulse;

receive a second light detection signal from the optical detector based on an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the fourth optical excitation pulse;

compute a combined magnetometry curve as a function of the RF excitation frequency based on a difference between a measured value of the first light detection signal and a measured value of the second light detection signal; and

modify the first phase difference and the second phase difference based on the combined magnetometry curve.

28. A system for magnetic detection of an external magnetic field, comprising:

a magneto-optical defect center material comprising a plurality of magneto-optical defect centers;

a radio frequency (RF) excitation source configured to provide RF excitations to the magneto-optical defect center material;

an optical excitation source configured to provide optical excitation to the magneto-optical defect center material;

an optical detector configured to receive an optical signal based on light emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material; and

a controller configured to:

control the optical excitation source and the RF excitation source to apply a first pulse sequence to the magneto-optical defect center material, the first pulse sequence comprising a first continuous wave optical excitation and a first pair of RF excitation pulses separated by a first time period, the first continuous wave optical excitation occurring continuously from before, during and after the first pair of RF excitation pulses;

control the optical excitation source and the RF excitation source to apply a second pulse sequence to the magneto-optical defect center material, the second pulse sequence comprising a second continuous wave optical excitation and a second pair of RF excitation pulses separated by a second time period, the second continuous wave optical excitation occurring continuously from before, during and after the second pair of RF excitation pulses, wherein the excitation pulses of the first pair of RF excitation pulses have a first phase difference, the excitation pulses of the second pair of RF excitation pulses have a second phase difference, and the second phase difference is different from the first phase difference;

receive a first light detection signal from the optical detector based on an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the first continuous wave optical excitation;

receive a second light detection signal from the optical detector based on an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the second continuous wave optical excitation; and

compute a combined magnetometry curve as a function of the RF excitation frequency based on a difference between a measured value of the first light detection signal and a measured value of the second light detection signal; and

set the first phase difference and the second phase difference based on the combined magnetometry curve.

29. A method for magnetic detection using a magneto-optical defect center material comprising a plurality of defect centers, the method comprising:

applying a first pulse sequence to the magneto-optical defect center material, the first pulse sequence comprising a first continuous wave optical excitation and a first pair of RF excitation pulses separated by a first time period, the first continuous wave optical excitation occurring continuously from before, during and after the first pair of RF excitation pulses;

applying a second pulse sequence to the magneto-optical defect center material, the second pulse sequence comprising a second continuous wave optical excitation and a second pair of RF excitation pulses separated by a second time period, the second continuous wave optical excitation occurring continuously from before, during and after the second pair of RF excitation pulses, wherein the excitation pulses of the first pair of RF excitation pulses have a first phase difference, the excitation pulses of the second pair of RF excitation pulses have a second phase difference, and the second phase difference is different from the first phase difference;

receiving a first light detection signal from an optical detector based on an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the first continuous wave optical excitation;

receiving a second light detection signal from the optical detector based on an optical signal emitted by the magneto-optical defect center material due to the second continuous wave optical excitation;

computing a combined magnetometry curve as a function of the RF excitation frequency based on a difference between a measured value of the first light detection signal and a measured value of the second light detection signal; and

setting the first phase difference and the second phase difference based on the combined magnetometry curve.