Quantum (sensing) leap - Pushing the technology readiness of Nitrogen-Vacancy sensors in Europe forward
At a Glance
Section titled âAt a Glanceâ| Metadata | Details |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | 2025-01-01 |
| Journal | Photoniques |
| Authors | P. Traina, Ivo Pietro Degiovanni, Marco Gramegna, Xavier Vidal, GĂ©rard Gil |
| Analysis | Full AI Review Included |
Executive Summary
Section titled âExecutive SummaryâThe research details the rapid advancement and industrialization of Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centers in diamond, positioning them as the most market-ready solid-state quantum sensing technology.
- Core Technology: NV centers in diamond function as robust, room-temperature quantum sensors capable of detecting magnetic fields, electric fields, temperature, strain, and pressure at the nanoscale.
- Measurement Principle: Sensing relies on Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance (ODMR), enabling high-precision manipulation and measurement of long-lived electronic spin states.
- TRL Advancement: European initiatives (e.g., PROMISE) are targeting Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 for wide-field NV-based magnetometers, focusing on component innovation (optimized RF controllers, pixel array sensors, NV layer engineering).
- Standardization Focus: Projects like NoQTeS are leading the effort to develop documentary standards and reference methods for color-center-based quantum sensors, addressing a key barrier to industrial market acceptance.
- Demonstrated Capability: NV nanosensors have successfully performed intracellular thermometry, achieving the first-ever measurement of a real metabolic process at the single-cell scale in mammals (e.g., detecting local temperature increases up to 1°C in mice neurons).
- Ecosystem Growth: A first generation of commercial NV-based quantum sensors (scanning-probe systems) has emerged, supported by a growing ecosystem of specialized SMEs (e.g., QNAMI, QZABRE, QDM.IO).
Technical Specifications
Section titled âTechnical Specificationsâ| Parameter | Value | Unit | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensor Material | Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) Center | Defect | Point defect in diamond crystal lattice. |
| Operation Temperature | Room | Temperature | Key advantage for high-precision spin manipulation. |
| Spatial Resolution | 100 | nm | Diameter of nanodiamond crystal used for intracellular thermometry. |
| Temperature Sensitivity | Up to 1 | °C | Local temperature increase detected in stimulated mice neurons. |
| TRL Target (PROMISE) | 7 | N/A | Target readiness level for wide-field NV-based magnetometers. |
| Project Duration (PROMISE) | 44 | Months | Timeframe for developing TRL7 prototypes and components. |
| Measurement Technique | ODMR | N/A | Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance. |
Key Methodologies
Section titled âKey MethodologiesâThe study and industrialization of NV centers rely on a multidisciplinary approach combining quantum physics, laser technology, and microwave electronics.
- Sensor Excitation: NV centers are optically excited using a Green Laser Source.
- Spin Manipulation: Electronic spin states are controlled and manipulated using a Microwave System connected via an antenna.
- Signal Detection: The resulting Fluorescence signal, which is dependent on the spin state, is collected by a Detection System (lenses/mirrors).
- Measurement Technique: Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance (ODMR) is used to measure changes in the electronic spins caused by external fields (magnetic, electric, temperature).
- Sensor Engineering (NoQTeS/PROMISE):
- Controlled Ion Implantation: Used for producing NV-based sensors.
- NV Layer Optimization: Engineering the NV layer depth, thickness, and concentration on the diamond surface to enhance performance.
- System Integration (PROMISE):
- Development of an Optimized RF Controller to reduce weight, volume, power consumption, and cost.
- Integration of a Pixel Array Sensor for faster and lower signal detection compared to commercial scientific cameras.
- Data Analysis: Utilization of Machine Learning to optimize data acquisition and analysis protocols, leveraging knowledge of NV center physics.
Commercial Applications
Section titled âCommercial ApplicationsâThe versatility and robustness of NV sensors position them for high-impact applications across several industrial sectors.
| Sector | Application Area | Specific Use Cases / Phenomena Measured |
|---|---|---|
| Biotechnology & Life Sciences | Biosensing and Imaging | Intracellular thermometry, monitoring evolution of tumoral cells, MRI. |
| Semiconductor Industry | Quality Control and Diagnostics | Analyzing current flow distribution in electronic chips. |
| Materials Science | Non-Invasive Characterization | Analysis of corrosion in alloys, magnetic field mapping, strain sensing. |
| Metrology & Instrumentation | High-Precision Sensing | Magnetometers, Gyroscopes, NMR, Electric Field Sensing, Pressure sensing. |
| Quantum Technology | Component Development | Quantum computing (QPUs, memories, repeaters), photon sources. |
| Environmental Monitoring | Field Sensing | Detecting signals with high spatial resolution in various environments. |
View Original Abstract
Nitrogen Vacancy centers in diamond interact with local magnetic and electric fields, temperature, strain, and pressure. Their ease of operation and exceptional performance has led to the emergence of a first generation of commercial NV-based quantum sensors, as scanning-probe systems, giving them wide recognition as the quantum technology with the most imminent market potential. In recent years, there is an effort to advance the TRL of those quantum technologies through several European initiatives.