Superresolution Multifunctional Sensing with the Nitrogen-Vacancy Center in Diamond

Light-matter interaction at the nanoscale is the foundation of studies in nanophotonics and nanoelectronics. It can be manipulated by modifying the local electromagnetic field. Therefore, detection of the local electromagnetic field is necessary for fundamental research and applications. Scanning probe microscopy has been used for near-field detection but it might perturb the detected field. Here we demonstrate noninvasive subdiffraction electromagnetic field sensing by using optical far-field superresolution microscopy for quantum-state manipulation and detection. The nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond are used as multifunctional probes to investigate various optical and electrical properties of nanostructures. Both the spatial resolution and the accuracy of sensing are increased in comparison with the results of traditional diffraction-limited optical microscopy. On the basis of this method, we expect that a multifunctional quantum nanoscopy can be developed for future studies in nanoscience.