QUANTUM CONFOCAL MICROSCOPE
Fully characterize hundreds of color centers overnight
Fast. Precise. Automated.
The turnkey color center characterization setup
Improving key parameters such as saturation rate, fluorescence, and spin coherence is essential for advancing quantum sensing and color centers, yet these parameters vary significantly between devices, making systematic characterization just as important as optimization itself. Building a pulsed confocal system with full automation to do this typically requires months of integration work. The QCFM removes that barrier entirely, combining a high-performance optical head with a high-resolution microscopy stage and long working distance objective, designed for both precision and practicality.
Optimize cw-ODMR Parameters
Contrast, brightness, FWHM, sensitivity
Take saturation curves
Saturation count rate, saturation laser power up to 40 mW
Classify color centers
Number of color centers and NV axis detection
Measure coherences
T1 relaxometry, T2 Hahn echo and T2* Ramsey
From single sites to statistically relevant datasets
At the heart of the QCFM is the QS3 software suite, which turns a high-performance microscope into a fully automated characterization machine. Select from standard protocols: cw-ODMR, saturation curves, T1, T2, T2*, Rabi, and more, or define your own custom pulse sequences. Stack measurements across sites, skip underperforming locations automatically, and build the statistically relevant datasets needed for rigorous performance comparison.
System description
At a glance
The QCFM is a turnkey characterization setup merging optimized confocal microscope with powerful automation software suite. We've used it to characterize more than 100'000 NVs in order to deliver the best scanning tips on the market with guaranteed performance.
If you're characterizing other color centers we can tune the optical and microwave properties to your needs.
Optimized optics
Scanning confocal optics for color center excitation and readout, and widefield imaging. Optical emission band and MW delivery adapted for your color centers.
Large XY stage
110 x 75 mm2 stage with sub-micron precision and manual 3D stage for microwave excitation
Magnet stage
Motorized mechanical magnet or electro vectormagnet for biasing the color center
Isolating enclosure
Temperature-stabilized and acoustically isolated enclosure with active vibration isolation. Reduces sample drift to a few nm/h
| Sample Stage | |
| Sample Stage | XY range 110 x 75 mm2, 100 nm increment, 250 mm/s max speed |
| Sample Drift Rate | <2 nm/h over 50 h in temperature stabilized housing |
| Imaging Modes | |
| Confocal Fluorescence | Circular scanning range: 150 µm diameter; <1 µm imaging resolution @515 nm |
| Pulsed measurements | ODMR, Rabi, Hahn echo, Ramsey, Relaxometry and user-defined pulse sequences. |
| Confocal Microscope Performance | |
| Microscope Objective | 50x magnification, NA=0.75, WD=5.2 mm, FOV=150 µm diameter; NV-band optimized and compatible with 515 nm, 575 nm and 637 nm |
| Optical Scanning Range | Circular aperture with 150 µm diameter FOV |
| Quantum Control Console | |
| Microwave Source | 0.6–6 GHz, up to 36 dBm (5 W), custom range and output power available on request; Analog and digital extension: AWG with 1.25 GS/s, 400 MHz bandwidth; Custom MW circuitry available on request |
| Light Source & Detection | 515 nm laser source (cw & pulsed control), >10 mW, <1.5 ns rise/fall time; SPAD module with high quantum efficiency |
| Vibration and Temperature Isolation | |
| Vibration Isolation | Active isolation 0.7–300 Hz, passive isolation above 300 Hz; Transmissibility <0.01 (~40 dB) above 10 Hz |
| Temperature Stabilization | <0.1°C temperature drift |
