Portable NV-Diamond Magnetic Sensor for Detection of Metallic Components in Person-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (PBIEDs)

There is a pressing need for accurate characterization and localization of person-borne improvised explosive devices (PBIEDs) to enable non-invasive detection and increased safety for the personnel involved. Since magnetic fields pass through many materials unperturbed, magnetic sensors provide a unique modality for detecting the metallic components associated with PBIEDs. We propose developing a magnetic gradiometer tailored specifically for detection of the metallic components in PBIEDs using an ensemble of nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond (DNV). Opportunities to employ integrated photonics solutions and efficient microwave delivery structures will be evaluated to reduce power consumption and complexity, enabling benchtop performance in a portable device. We will study DNV-specific approaches to overcome the systematics typically associated with arrays of vector magnetometers. We will also assess the integration of a transmitter coil to enable simultaneous, co-located magnetic (<100 Hz) and inductive (>1 kHz) measurements for enhanced selectivity and sensitivity to non-magnetic, but electrically conductive targets. The combination of tensor gradiometry and broadband DC and AC magnetic sensing in a single solution is anticipated to provide enhanced sensitivity and selectivity for the detection of PBIEDs.