Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41658494›Full record

ArticleInnovation (Cambridge (Mass.))2026

Visualizing the atomic structure of nitrogen-vacancy color center in diamond by multislice electron ptychography.

Yujie Chen, Chenglin Pua, Xiaoran Zhang, Ang Gao, Yan Fang, Beikai Zhao, Ting Lin, Valentina A Bocharova, Qinghua Zhang, Han Tang and 8 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Innovation (Cambridge (Mass.)), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Yujie ChenBeijing National Center for Electron Microscopy and Laboratory of Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Chenglin PuaBeijing National Center for Electron Microscopy and Laboratory of Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Xiaoran ZhangLaboratory of High Pressure Physics and Material Science, School of Physics and Physical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, Shandong 273100, China.
Ang GaoCollege of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China.
Yan FangDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China.
Beikai ZhaoNorthwest Institute for Nonferrous Metal Research, Xi'An, Shanxi 710016, China.
Ting LinBeijing National Center for Electron Microscopy and Laboratory of Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Valentina A BocharovaBeijing National Center for Electron Microscopy and Laboratory of Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Qinghua ZhangInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100190, China.
Han TangInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100190, China.
Wenwu ZhongZhejiang Key Laboratory of Functional Ionic Membrane Materials and Technology for Hydrogen Production, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China.
Shijie ShenZhejiang Key Laboratory of Functional Ionic Membrane Materials and Technology for Hydrogen Production, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China.
Bin SunJiang Su Leader-Tech Semiconductor Co., Ltd, Jiangsu 215300, China.
Jian WangJiang Su Leader-Tech Semiconductor Co., Ltd, Jiangsu 215300, China.
Jie YangJiang Su Leader-Tech Semiconductor Co., Ltd, Jiangsu 215300, China.
Qian YuCenter of Electron Microscopy and State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
Xiaobing LiuLaboratory of High Pressure Physics and Material Science, School of Physics and Physical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, Shandong 273100, China.
Lin GuBeijing National Center for Electron Microscopy and Laboratory of Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The structure and distribution of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond are critical for their performance in quantum technologies, such as quantum computing and sensing. For quantum sensing applications, achieving a high density of NV centers is essential, and both the structural arrangement of the ensemble NV centers and their distribution significantly influence sensitivity. However, existing techniques lack the resolution required to accurately characterize the atomic-scale structure, distribution, and strain field of NV centers. In this study, we present the first atomic-scale imaging of ensemble NV center structures using multislice electron ptychography (MEP) in a diamond containing 27 ppm NV centers. Our direct imaging reveals that the ensemble NV centers can be characterized as clusters of individual NV centers, rather than being tightly segregated or randomly distributed at atomic scale. Each NV cluster comprises more than four single NV centers aligned along three or more atomic columns within a depth range of 1-5 nm along [110] projected direction, with the spacing between clusters of approximately 1-2 nm along the (110) projection plane. This work provides valuable insights into the true structural characteristics of dense NV centers, offering guidance for understanding the structure-property correlations that influence their performance in quantum sensing and related applications.

Indexed as

atomic-scale manufacturingmultislice electron ptychographynitrogen-vacancy color center in diamondquantum technologiesthree-dimensional atomic structure and distribution

Identifiers

PMID41658494
PMCPMC12881742

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.