Researchers will develop ultrahigh-precision NV diamond sensors, large-area magnetic-field mapping systems, and sensor arrays designed to operate in rapidly changing electromagnetic environments, with prototypes moving from lab tests to field-ready implementations.

The sensors are designed for seamless integration into existing microelectronic systems, enabling operation in high-radiation environments and in space-constrained facilities.

The project aims to deliver prototypes and large-area mapping systems, plus sensor arrays capable of withstanding harsh radiation and integrating with accelerator facility electronics.

Funding comes from the DOE Office of High Energy Physics under its Quantum Information Science program, with Argonne aiming to broaden applicability and potential commercial development.

The effort hinges on cross-disciplinary collaboration among quantum information science, materials science, engineering, and particle physics to create a versatile field-mapping platform with long-term commercial potential.

Nazar Delegan emphasizes training personnel to bridge quantum information science and particle physics, promoting interdisciplinary development.

If successful, the technology could raise measurement precision, reduce uncertainties in fundamental experiments, and enable new exploration of the universe’s basic forces using quantum diamond defects.

Beyond core goals, the project seeks broader commercial applications of the platform for electromagnetic field mapping across diverse experiments and contexts.

The initiative shifts from theoretical concepts to practical tools that could support upcoming and existing particle accelerators by addressing the need for precise magnetic-field mapping.

Researchers aim to adapt quantum information science for high-energy physics to improve electromagnetic field mapping in future accelerators.

Argonne National Laboratory launched a three-year, $1 million project to develop diamond-based quantum sensors that map electromagnetic fields with unprecedented precision for high-energy physics experiments and to integrate these sensors with particle-physics research.

The project centers on nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond as tiny, trapped magnets whose energy states shift with magnetic and electric fields and can be read via light and microwaves for highly sensitive measurements.