CPM Seminar

Quantum Sensing with Diamond Defects

Erika Janitz

Department of Electrical and Software Engineering
University of Calgary

The electronic spins of single atomic defects in diamond can serve as magnetic sensors with exceptional sensitivity and nanoscale spatial resolution. So far, only the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center has been used for sensing external targets, in part due to its exceptional spin coherence under various experimental (including ambient) conditions. In this talk, I will discuss my postdoctoral work (Degen group; ETH Zurich) in creating an NV-NMR platform for molecular sensing. Our team developed fabrication and surface treatments for improving sensitivity while enabling highly generalizable molecular surface functionalization [1]. These techniques were subsequently used to detect conformational changes in few-molecule DNA samples. In parallel, we developed optimized diamond nanopillar structures for improving NV fluorescence collection, yielding a factor-of-three measurement speed-up [2]. I will conclude by discussing my plans to further improve magnetic sensitivity using novel defect centers with superior optical properties. Such defects will be harnessed in my group to achieve single-nuclear-spin detection within functionalized molecules, opening the door for structure elucidation or reaction monitoring on the single-molecule level.

[1] Abendroth et al., Nano Letters 22, (2022).
[2] Zhu et al., Nano Letters 23, (2023).