I-Corps: Quantum magnetometer

Award ID: 2342756

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of low-cost and ultra-sensitive magnetic field sensors that can operate under ambient conditions. The current solutions require cryogenic temperatures, which increases both the cost and size of the sensor. The market for magnetic field sensors based on solid-state defects currently is valued at $300M, representing only 20% of the broader market of quantum sensing, magnetometry, and imaging, which is valued at $1.5B. The proposed sensor technology may be used in medical applications where they may substantially reduce the cost of diagnostic tests; in industrial settings where they may enhance the precision of machinery; and in scientific research where they may expedite breakthroughs in high-tech discoveries. This I-Corps project is based on the development of ultra-sensitive magnetic field sensors with solid-state defects. The proposed diamond-based quantum magnetometry technology is capable of operating in ambient conditions and has the potential to surpass the current limits of magnetic field sensitivity. It leverages principles from quantum physics to utilize atomic-size defects in crystals for magnetic field sensing. The advantage of this system over the competing quantum sensors is in its capability to operate at room temperature and not requiring the costly process of trapping atoms or molecules. The proposed technology platform is based on nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond. These defects in diamond are naturally protected from the environment and can operate in ambient conditions. The proposed technology introduces a fundamentally new readout technique for utilizing crystal defects including NV centers. This technique removes the main source of noise that limits the performance of these sensors. Moreover, these defects are capable of atomic scale measurements, which has opened new avenues in materials science research. This project is based on extensive experimental research and may provide a new generation of ultra-sensitive sensors that enable novel discoveries and lowers the cost of ultra-sensitive magnetic field sensors for medical, industrial, and scientific applications. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Ruth Shuman