Quantum sensing with a spin ensemble in a two-dimensional material

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.08984v1
• Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2025 20:29:54 GMT
• Title: Quantum sensing with a spin ensemble in a two-dimensional material
• Authors: Souvik Biswas, Giovanni Scuri, Noah Huffman, Eric I. Rosenthal, Ruotian Gong, Thomas Poirier, Xingyu Gao, Sumukh Vaidya, Abigail J. Stein, Tsachy Weissman, James H. Edgar, Tongcang Li, Chong Zu, Jelena Vučković, Joonhee Choi,
• Abstract summary: We present a framework to probe a novel 2D spin ensemble in 2D hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) crystal.<n>We achieve a record coherence time of 80 $mu$s and nanotesla-level AC magnetic sensitivity at a 10 nm target distance.<n>These results lay the foundation for next-generation quantum sensors with ultrahigh sensitivity, tunable noise selectivity, and versatile quantum functionalities.
• Score: 7.451972620139387
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Abstract: Quantum sensing with solid-state spin defects has transformed nanoscale metrology, offering sub-wavelength spatial resolution with exceptional sensitivity to multiple signal types. Maximizing these advantages requires minimizing both the sensor-target separation and detectable signalthreshold. However, leading platforms such as nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond suffer performance degradation near surfaces or in nanoscale volumes, motivating the search for optically addressable spin sensors in atomically thin, two-dimensional (2D) materials. Here, we present an experimental framework to probe a novel 2D spin ensemble, including its Hamiltonian, coherent sensing dynamics, and noise environment. Using a central spin system in a 2D hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) crystal, we fully map the hyperfine interactions with proximal nuclear spins, demonstrate programmable switching between magnetic and electric sensing, and introduce a robust method for reconstructing the environmental noise spectrum explicitly accounting for quantum control imperfections. We achieve a record coherence time of 80 $\mu$s and nanotesla-level AC magnetic sensitivity at a 10 nm target distance, reaching the threshold for detecting a single nuclear spin in nanoscale spectroscopy. Leveraging the broad opportunities for defect engineering in atomically thin hosts, these results lay the foundation for next-generation quantum sensors with ultrahigh sensitivity, tunable noise selectivity, and versatile quantum functionalities.

Related papers

• Single-molecule Scale Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy using a Robust Near-Infrared Spin Sensor [13.76409657225493]
  We show that PL6 quantum defect in 4H silicon carbide (4H-SiC) can serve as a robust near-infrared spin sensor.<n>This sensor operates at tissue-transparent wavelengths and exhibits exceptional near-surface stability even at depth of 2 nm.<n>This work establishes 4H-SiC quantum sensors as a compelling platform for nanoscale magnetic resonance.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-12-11T04:37:42Z)
• Zero-field identification and control of hydrogen-related electron-nuclear spin registers in diamond [73.17247851945764]
  We introduce an approach to identify the hyperfine components and nuclear spin species of spin defects through measurements on a nearby NV center.<n>Results provide a guide to resolving the defect structures using $textitab initio$ calculations.<n>Our characterization and control tools establish a framework to expand the defect landscape for hybrid electron-nuclear registers.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-10-22T13:50:54Z)
• Entanglement-Enhanced Nanoscale Single-Spin Sensing [12.783681107108267]
  Single-spin detection presents a fundamental challenge in quantum sensing with broad applications across condensed matter physics, quantum chemistry, and single-molecule magnetic resonance imaging.<n>We propose and demonstrate an entanglement-enhanced sensing protocol that overcomes these limitations through the strategic use of entangled NV pairs.<n>Our approach achieves a 3.4-fold enhancement in sensitivity and a 1.6-fold reduction in spatial resolution relative to single NV centers under ambient conditions.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-04-30T14:59:58Z)
• Engineering Dark Spin-Free Diamond Interfaces [0.20749689150840575]
  Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond are extensively utilized as quantum sensors for imaging fields at the nanoscale.<n>In this study, we develop a surface modification approach that eliminates the unwanted signal of these so-called dark electron spins.<n>Our findings are directly transferable to other quantum platforms, including nanoscale solid state qubits and superconducting qubits.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-04-11T18:00:01Z)
• Spin Squeezing of Macroscopic Nuclear Spin Ensembles [44.99833362998488]
  Squeezing macroscopic spin ensembles may prove to be a useful technique for fundamental physics experiments.<n>We analyze the squeezing dynamics in the presence of decoherence and finite spin polarization, showing that achieving 7 dB spin squeezing is feasible in several nuclear spin systems.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-02-19T21:16:54Z)
• A New Bite Into Dark Matter with the SNSPD-Based QROCODILE Experiment [55.46105000075592]
  We present the first results from the Quantum Resolution-d Cryogenic Observatory for Dark matter Incident at Low Energy (QROCODILE)<n>The QROCODILE experiment uses a microwire-based superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) as a target and sensor for dark matter scattering and absorption.<n>We report new world-leading constraints on the interactions of sub-MeV dark matter particles with masses as low as 30 keV.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2024-12-20T19:00:00Z)
• A spin-refrigerated cavity quantum electrodynamic sensor [1.6713959634020665]
  Quantum sensors based on solid-state defects, in particular nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond, enable precise measurement of magnetic fields, temperature, rotation, and electric fields. We introduce a cavity quantum electrodynamic (cQED) hybrid system operating in the strong coupling regime, which enables high readout fidelity of an NV ensemble. We demonstrate a broadband sensitivity of 580 fT/$sqrtmathrmHz$ around 15 kHz in ambient conditions.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2024-04-16T14:56:50Z)
• Control of an environmental spin defect beyond the coherence limit of a central spin [79.16635054977068]
  We present a scalable approach to increase the size of electronic-spin registers. We experimentally realize this approach to demonstrate the detection and coherent control of an unknown electronic spin outside the coherence limit of a central NV. Our work paves the way for engineering larger quantum spin registers with the potential to advance nanoscale sensing, enable correlated noise spectroscopy for error correction, and facilitate the realization of spin-chain quantum wires for quantum communication.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-06-29T17:55:16Z)
• All-Optical Nuclear Quantum Sensing using Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Diamond [52.77024349608834]
  Microwave or radio-frequency driving poses a significant limitation for miniaturization, energy-efficiency and non-invasiveness of quantum sensors. We overcome this limitation by demonstrating a purely optical approach to coherent quantum sensing. Our results pave the way for highly compact quantum sensors to be employed for magnetometry or gyroscopy applications.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2022-12-14T08:34:11Z)
• Sub-nanotesla Sensitivity at the Nanoscale with a Single Spin [11.230326490436141]
  We report that a sensitivity of 0.5 $bfnT/sqrtHz$ at the nanoscale is achieved experimentally by using nitrogen-vacancy defects in diamond. The achieved sensitivity is substantially enhanced by integrating with multiple quantum techniques.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2022-05-09T16:42:54Z)
• Nanodiamonds based optical-fiber quantum probe for magnetic field and biological sensing [6.643766442180283]
  In this work, a miniature optical-fiber quantum probe, configured by chemically-modifying nanodiamonds NV centers, is developed. The magnetic field detection sensitivity of the probe is significantly enhanced to 0.57 nT/Hz1/2 @ 1Hz, a new record among the fiber magnetometers based on nanodiamonds NV.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2022-02-24T01:41:13Z)
• An integrated magnetometry platform with stackable waveguide-assisted detection channels for sensing arrays [45.82374977939355]
  We present a novel architecture which allows us to create NV$-$-centers a few nanometers below the diamond surface. We experimentally verify the coupling efficiency, showcase the detection of magnetic resonance signals through the waveguides and perform first proof-of-principle experiments in magnetic field and temperature sensing. In the future, our approach will enable the development of two-dimensional sensing arrays facilitating spatially and temporally correlated magnetometry.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-12-04T12:59:29Z)

This list is automatically generated from the titles and abstracts of the papers in this site.

This site does not guarantee the quality of this site (including all information) and is not responsible for any consequences.