Quantum sensing of electric field distributions of liquid electrolytes with NV-centers in nanodiamonds

RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen)

Abstract

To use batteries as large-scale energy storage systems it is necessary to measure and understand their degradation \textit{in-situ} and \textit{in-operando}. As a battery's degradation is often the result of molecular processes inside the electrolyte, a sensing platform which allows to measure the ions with a high spatial resolution is needed. Primary candidates for such a platform are NV-centers in diamonds. We propose to use a single NV-center to deduce the electric field distribution generated by the ions inside the electrolyte through microwave pulse sequences. We show that the electric field can be reconstructed with great accuracy by using a protocol which includes different variations of the Free Induction Decay to obtain the mean electric field components and a modified Hahn-echo pulse sequence to measure the electric field's standard deviation $σ_E$. From a semi-analytical ansatz we find that for a lithium ion battery there is a direct relationship between $σ_E$ and the ionic concentration. Our results show that it is therefore possible to use NV-centers as sensors to measure both the electric field distribution and the local ionic concentration inside electrolytes.

Authors 6

1. M. Hollendonner

   Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg · Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light

   Affiliation as printed

   Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg , 91058 Erlangen , Germany

   Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light , 91058 Erlangen , Germany

   Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany

   Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, 91058 Erlangen, Germany

2. SURESH CHANDRA SHARMA

   Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light

   Affiliation as printed

   Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light , 91058 Erlangen , Germany

   Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, 91058 Erlangen, Germany

3. Durga Bhaktavatsala Rao Dasari

   University of Stuttgart

   Affiliation as printed

   3rd Institute of Physics , IQST, and Research Center SCoPE , University of Stuttgart , 70569 Stuttgart , Germany

   3rd Institute of Physics, IQST, and Research Center SCoPE, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany

4. Amit Finkler

   Weizmann Institute of Science

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Chemical and Biological Physics , Weizmann Institute of Science , Rehovot 7610001 , Israel

   Department of Chemical and Biological Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel

5. Silvia Viola Kusminskiy Aachen Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics

   RWTH Aachen University · Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics , RWTH Aachen University , 52074 Aachen , Germany

   Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light , 91058 Erlangen , Germany

   Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany

   Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, 91058 Erlangen, Germany

6. Roland Nagy

   Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

   Affiliation as printed

   Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg , 91058 Erlangen , Germany

   Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany