Spin-based characterization of material properties of diamond samples for high-sensitivity NV magnetometry

Using optical spectroscopy and spin-manipulation techniques, we characterize the nitrogen concentration and charge-state ratio of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) defects in a collection of diamond samples. We use the data both to calibrate a purely spin-based measurement toolbox for characterizing spin concentrations in diamond and to identify ways of optimizing parameters in diamond growth and processing in order to produce samples with a high concentration of negatively-charged NV defects, for use in high-sensitivity NV-ensemble-based magnetometry.