Antiferromagnets are materials in which each layer of atoms has a magnetic direction (spin) that is opposite to the one before. As each layer cancels the field of the one below, the net magnetization is only that of the top most layer. Prime examples are Chromium Oxide (Cr₂O₃) and Copper Manganese Arsenide (CuMnAs).

Antiferromagnets are a rich playground for studying magnetism. Their layered structure and resulting low stray field makes them robust against external magnetic fields. This makes them suited as materials for memory devices with lower power.

NV magnetometry is one of the very few techniques that is sensitive enough to measure the weak stray field of antiferromagnetic materials. Use NVM to study features such as domain sizes, domain walls and step edges.