Quantum Magnetometry Facility
Lead Research Organisation:
Heriot-Watt University
Department Name: Sch of Engineering and Physical Science
Abstract
The spin of a single electron is the smallest possible magnetic sensor, operating at the smallest limits of spatial resolution. Research by the quantum technology community in the past couple of decades has opened the capability to control and detect individual electronic spins, in particular the spin associated with the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) point defect in diamond. Integration of NV spins into diamond AFM tips has enabled scanning probe detection of magnetic fields with high sensitivity and spatial resolution of few tens of nanometers (10,000x smaller than the width of a human hair!), over a broad temperature range (from room temperature to the coldest temperatures in the universe - milliKelvin regime). In addition, NV centres in diamond have been used to detect and control individual electronic spins (for example spin-labelled biological proteins on the diamond surface) or even individual nuclear spins of a single atom (13C nuclei in the diamond).
The Quantum Magnetometry Facility at Heriot-Watt University is a 'turn-key' magnetic sensing instrument, based on single NV centres in diamond, operating down to temperatures very close to absolute zero. This facility will enable scientists to prove novel physics in different systems, such as the rich interplay between superconductivity, ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism in unconventional superconductors, magnetic ordering in atomically-thin 2D materials and heterostructures, etc. These investigations will be very important, for example, to develop new materials and new physical effects that may lead to next-generation "beyond-silicon" electronic devices. Long-term applications of our fundamental investigations could be, for example, Mott transistors, where the gate voltage would switch the device between insulator and metal states, with a much better efficiency than current devices. Or it could provide insights into the enigmatic room temperature superconductor, whose application potential is enormous.
The Quantum Magnetometry Facility at Heriot-Watt University is a 'turn-key' magnetic sensing instrument, based on single NV centres in diamond, operating down to temperatures very close to absolute zero. This facility will enable scientists to prove novel physics in different systems, such as the rich interplay between superconductivity, ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism in unconventional superconductors, magnetic ordering in atomically-thin 2D materials and heterostructures, etc. These investigations will be very important, for example, to develop new materials and new physical effects that may lead to next-generation "beyond-silicon" electronic devices. Long-term applications of our fundamental investigations could be, for example, Mott transistors, where the gate voltage would switch the device between insulator and metal states, with a much better efficiency than current devices. Or it could provide insights into the enigmatic room temperature superconductor, whose application potential is enormous.
Organisations
Publications

Arshad M
(2024)
Real-time adaptive estimation of decoherence timescales for a single qubit
in Physical Review Applied

Budakian R
(2024)
Roadmap on nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging.
in Nanotechnology

Budakian R
(2023)
Roadmap on Nanoscale Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Castelletto S
(2022)
Silicon Carbide Photonics Bridging Quantum Technology
in ACS Photonics

Gebhart V
(2022)
Learning Quantum Systems

Gebhart V
(2023)
Learning quantum systems
in Nature Reviews Physics

Zohar I
(2023)
Real-time frequency estimation of a qubit without single-shot-readout
in Quantum Science and Technology
Description | While the experimental equipment is still being set up and characterised, we have performed some preliminary work to improve the data acquisition speed through the use of machine learning techniques. Our results (PhysRevApplied 21, 024041) show that a factor 5-10 can be gained in speed even for simple (but practically relevant relaxation measurements). |
Exploitation Route | Several research groups have already asked us for help to implement the technology in their own labs. We have also collaborated with a company, Zurich Instruments (vendor of fast electronics for signal generation), and written a blog post on their website to disseminate the technology (https://www.zhinst.com/europe/en/blogs/speeding-nv-center-measurements-real-time-control) |
Sectors | Chemicals Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Electronics Energy Healthcare Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
URL | https://www.zhinst.com/europe/en/blogs/speeding-nv-center-measurements-real-time-control |
Description | Normating colour-centre-based quantum sensing technology towards industrial application and standards |
Amount | £2,000,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | European Association of National Metrology Institutes (EURAMET) |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | Germany |
Start | 03/2024 |
End | 03/2027 |
Description | QS-Precision Inertial Navigation (QS-PIN) |
Amount | £120,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 10086180 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2023 |
End | 11/2023 |
Description | Quantum sensing of two-dimensional quantum materials |
Amount | £99,833 (GBP) |
Funding ID | DSTL0000002448 |
Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2023 |
End | 12/2025 |
Title | Real-time frequency estimation of a qubit without single-shot-readout |
Description | Dataset for figures 3a, 3b and 4b in our manuscript. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The dataset has been downloaded 25 times, so other researchers are interested in the dataset. We have not been directly contacted about the datasets |
URL | https://zenodo.org/record/7735975 |
Title | Software for Adaptive Control |
Description | The software package simulates adaptive Bayesian inference to learn parameters of quantum systems (e.g. for quantum sensing), and controls adaptive quantum sensing experiments in the lab |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Impact | The software enabled us to perform several adaptive sensing experiments (e.g. Phys. Rev. Applied 21, 024026), also in collaboration with groups overseas (Quantum Science and Technology 8 (3), 035017) |
Description | Engaging in Nitrogen Vacancy Diamond Quantum Sensing for Healthcare Applications |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Talk at a InnovateUK webinar event about quantum sensing for the healthcare industry |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/events/nitrogen-vacancy-diamond-quantum-sensing-for-healthcare-applications/ |