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arxiv: 2501.07263 · v3 · pith:FI5B2N4Rnew · submitted 2025-01-13 · ⚛️ physics.app-ph

Sensing with near-infrared laser trapped fluorescent nanodiamonds

Arthur Dervillez , Fatemeh Kalantarifard , Luca Troise , Alexander Huck , Kirstine Berg-S{\o}rensen This is my paper

Pith reviewed 2026-05-23 05:50 UTC · model grok-4.3

classification ⚛️ physics.app-ph
keywords fluorescent nanodiamondsNV centersoptical trappingbiosensingODMRnear-infrared lasercharge state dynamics
0
0 comments X

The pith

A combined NIR and green light protocol allows fluorescent nanodiamond biosensing under 1064 nm laser trapping while limiting frequency shifts.

A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.

The paper tests whether near-infrared laser light at 1064 nm, chosen for low absorption in biological samples, can trap fluorescent nanodiamonds containing NV centers without destroying their use for sensing. Measurements of fluorescence relaxation, optical spectra, and ODMR under increasing NIR power show shifts in the ODMR central frequency and changes in NV charge-state dynamics. The authors establish that mixing the NIR trapping beam with green excitation light produces a workable protocol that keeps these NIR effects small enough for practical magnetic and optical readouts. This matters because it supports placing sensors at chosen locations inside living cells without broad heating or absorption damage from the trap laser.

Core claim

NIR irradiation at 1064 nm alters the ODMR central frequency of NV centers in FNDs and influences their charge-state dynamics, yet FND biosensing functions effectively under a protocol that combines NIR trapping light with green light to mitigate those effects.

What carries the argument

The dual-wavelength protocol that pairs 1064 nm NIR for optical trapping with green excitation light to control NIR-induced ODMR shifts and charge-state changes.

If this is right

  • Biosensing readouts from trapped FNDs stay usable for intracellular applications once green light is added to the trapping beam.
  • The 1064 nm wavelength remains viable for optical trapping of FNDs in bio-samples when the mitigation protocol is followed.
  • Charge-state dynamics must be monitored as part of the sensing protocol to maintain accuracy.

Where Pith is reading between the lines

These are editorial extensions of the paper, not claims the author makes directly.

  • The same mitigation strategy might apply to other common trap wavelengths if similar frequency shifts appear.
  • Testing the protocol inside actual cells would check whether the observed shifts translate to unacceptable uncertainty in real biochemical environments.
  • The approach could extend to other NV-based sensing tasks that require precise positioning without sample damage.

Load-bearing premise

The NIR-induced shifts in ODMR central frequency and charge-state dynamics remain small enough under the combined-light protocol that they do not introduce unacceptable uncertainty into the magnetic or optical sensing readout.

What would settle it

A direct measurement showing large unmitigated ODMR frequency shifts or high uncertainty in extracted magnetic field values when the combined NIR-plus-green protocol is applied to optically trapped FNDs.

Figures

Figures reproduced from arXiv: 2501.07263 by Alexander Huck, Arthur Dervillez, Fatemeh Kalantarifard, Kirstine Berg-S{\o}rensen, Luca Troise.

Figure 1
Figure 1. Figure 1: FIG. 1 [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p001_1.png] view at source ↗
Figure 2
Figure 2. Figure 2: FIG. 2 [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p003_2.png] view at source ↗
Figure 3
Figure 3. Figure 3: FIG. 3 [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p004_3.png] view at source ↗
Figure 4
Figure 4. Figure 4: FIG. 4 [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p005_4.png] view at source ↗
Figure 5
Figure 5. Figure 5: FIG. 5 [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p006_5.png] view at source ↗
Figure 8
Figure 8. Figure 8: The population dynamics of the NV centers are de￾scribed by a set of coupled differential equations repre￾senting the rates of change of the population probabilities Pi in each state [31]. The rates of change were adapted to our experimental situation with just two lasers, the green 532 nm and the NIR 1064 nm laser, following [32]. Values used in this work for the rates are provided in the appendix, Table … view at source ↗
Figure 6
Figure 6. Figure 6: FIG. 6 [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p007_6.png] view at source ↗
Figure 7
Figure 7. Figure 7: FIG. 7 [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p008_7.png] view at source ↗
Figure 8
Figure 8. Figure 8: FIG. 8. Energy level diagram of the NV center, showing the [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p008_8.png] view at source ↗
Figure 10
Figure 10. Figure 10: FIG. 10. Variation in three sensing parameters when subject to controlled variation of paramagnetic species, pH, and temper [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p010_10.png] view at source ↗
Figure 12
Figure 12. Figure 12: FIG. 12 [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p011_12.png] view at source ↗
read the original abstract

Biosensing based on optically trapped fluorescent nanodiamonds potentially allows to resolve biochemical processes inside living cells at a desired intracellular location. Towards this goal, we investigate near infrared (NIR) laser irradiation at 1064 nm on fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) containing nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers. The 1064 nm NIR wavelength is a popular choice for optical trapping because of its low absorption in bio-samples. By conducting comprehensive experiments, we aim to understand if and how NIR exposure influences the fluorescence and sensing capabilities of FNDs and to determine the potential implications for the use of FNDs in various sensing applications. Our experiments exposed FNDs to varying intensities of NIR laser light while carefully monitoring their optical and magnetic properties. Key measurements included all-optical fluorescence relaxation, optical spectroscopy, and optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectra. The findings reveal how increased NIR laser power correlates with alterations in ODMR central frequency but also that charge state dynamics under NIR irradiation of NV centers play a role. We demonstrate that FND biosensing works well with a protocol involving both NIR and green light, while mitigating the effect of NIR.

Editorial analysis

A structured set of objections, weighed in public.

Desk editor's note, referee report, simulated authors' rebuttal, and a circularity audit. Tearing a paper down is the easy half of reading it; the pith above is the substance, this is the friction.

Referee Report

2 major / 0 minor

Summary. The manuscript reports experiments on the effects of 1064 nm NIR laser irradiation on fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) containing NV centers, motivated by optical trapping for intracellular biosensing. Key measurements include all-optical fluorescence relaxation, optical spectroscopy, and ODMR spectra under varying NIR intensities. The central claim is that NIR exposure alters ODMR central frequency and involves charge-state dynamics, but a combined NIR+green light protocol enables effective FND biosensing while mitigating these NIR effects.

Significance. If the combined-light protocol demonstrably keeps residual NIR-induced shifts and charge-state changes below the uncertainty thresholds required for magnetic or optical sensing (e.g., sub-MHz frequency stability or preserved contrast), the work would support practical NIR trapping of FNDs in bio-samples. The experimental approach is direct and addresses a relevant technical barrier, but the absence of quantitative bounds on residual effects limits assessment of whether the mitigation is sufficient for the claimed sensing applications.

major comments (2)
  1. [Abstract] Abstract (final paragraph): the claim that 'FND biosensing works well with a protocol involving both NIR and green light, while mitigating the effect of NIR' is load-bearing for the central result yet unsupported by any reported numbers; no values are given for residual ODMR central-frequency shift (MHz), fluorescence contrast change, relaxation-rate alteration, or side-by-side sensing sensitivity/uncertainty under green-only versus NIR+green conditions.
  2. [Abstract] The experimental description (key measurements paragraph) states that NIR power 'correlates with alterations in ODMR central frequency' and that 'charge state dynamics under NIR irradiation play a role,' but provides no tabulated or plotted quantitative bounds on these alterations under the combined protocol, preventing verification that they remain small enough not to degrade readout precision.

Simulated Author's Rebuttal

2 responses · 0 unresolved

We thank the referee for their careful reading of the manuscript and for highlighting the need for quantitative support in the abstract. We agree that the abstract should be revised to include explicit numerical bounds on residual effects under the combined protocol. We address the comments point by point below.

read point-by-point responses

  1. Referee: [Abstract] Abstract (final paragraph): the claim that 'FND biosensing works well with a protocol involving both NIR and green light, while mitigating the effect of NIR' is load-bearing for the central result yet unsupported by any reported numbers; no values are given for residual ODMR central-frequency shift (MHz), fluorescence contrast change, relaxation-rate alteration, or side-by-side sensing sensitivity/uncertainty under green-only versus NIR+green conditions.

    Authors: We agree that the abstract as currently written does not provide the quantitative values needed to substantiate the claim. The main text reports experimental data on ODMR spectra, fluorescence, and relaxation under the combined NIR+green protocol that demonstrate mitigation relative to NIR alone. In the revised manuscript we will update the abstract to include the key measured bounds (residual frequency shift, contrast change, and relaxation-rate alteration) from those data, along with a brief comparison to green-only conditions, so that the effectiveness for sensing can be assessed directly from the abstract. revision: yes

  2. Referee: [Abstract] The experimental description (key measurements paragraph) states that NIR power 'correlates with alterations in ODMR central frequency' and that 'charge state dynamics under NIR irradiation play a role,' but provides no tabulated or plotted quantitative bounds on these alterations under the combined protocol, preventing verification that they remain small enough not to degrade readout precision.

    Authors: We acknowledge that the abstract does not report the quantitative bounds on the alterations under the combined protocol. The manuscript contains the corresponding plots and analysis for the combined NIR+green case. We will revise the abstract to summarize the measured bounds on ODMR central-frequency shift and charge-state-related changes under the combined protocol, thereby allowing direct verification that the residual effects remain within acceptable limits for the intended sensing applications. revision: yes

Circularity Check

0 steps flagged

No circularity: purely experimental measurements with no derivations or self-referential predictions

full rationale

The paper reports direct experimental observations of NIR effects on FND fluorescence, ODMR spectra, and charge-state dynamics under varying laser powers, followed by a protocol combining NIR trapping with green excitation. No equations, fitted parameters, uniqueness theorems, or predictions derived from prior self-citations appear in the abstract or described structure. All claims rest on measured data rather than any reduction of outputs to inputs by construction. The central demonstration that the combined-light protocol mitigates NIR effects is an empirical finding, not a mathematical derivation that could be circular.

Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger

0 free parameters · 0 axioms · 0 invented entities

The work is purely experimental and draws on established properties of NV centers and optical trapping; no new free parameters, axioms, or invented entities are introduced.

pith-pipeline@v0.9.0 · 5750 in / 1146 out tokens · 30825 ms · 2026-05-23T05:50:03.093230+00:00 · methodology

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Reference graph

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