Grant: Alliance Grants

Quantum sensors utilize electrons, photons, and other quantum systems to detect small changes in fields, forces, and properties of their environment. They can offer record-breaking sensitivity and exquisite spatial resolution or other performance advantages compared existing classical sensors. Applications ranging from geological exploration to detection of gravitational waves to measurements of fields generated by biological samples are all being impacted by quantum sensing technology.Diamond has proven to be one of the most successful materials for implementing quantum sensors. Some of the same imperfections in diamond crystals that are responsible for giving some diamond gems colorful hues exhibit optical behaviour that is sensitive to their environment. Remarkably, these optical properties can be measured at the single defect level in some diamond material, providing an atomic-scale probe of the microscopic environment. This project advances the state-of-the-art diamond quantum sensors by developing new modalities for implementing them, and by tackling challenges both in manufacturing the material that they rely upon and in sculpting this material into photonic devices. This latter capability is key to efficiently operating and miniaturizing diamond quantum sensors. This project brings leading researchers in diamond photonics and diamond quantum sensing together with industrial partners investing in manufacturing diamond and government partners seeking to harness its full potential. In doing so, the project will ensure that Canada is at the forefront of this rapidly growing and competitive field of research and technology development.