SBIR Phase I: Quantum Magnetometer

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will result from the development of a cutting-edge scanning magnetometer microscope. This technology will enable high-resolution imaging of novel magnetic materials with unprecedented sensitivity at the nanoscale level. These novel magnetic materials serve as fundamental building blocks for advancing computer memories and pioneering new computing technologies through the field of spintronics.

Spintronics utilizes the intrinsic property of electrons known as “spin” to engineer electronic devices. Imaging this property is beyond the capabilities of conventional microscopes. However, the magnetic footprint associated with spin can be captured using advanced techniques such as scanning magnetometer microscopes.

Therefore, breakthroughs in advanced microscopy techniques are a necessity for the field of spintronics to succeed in developing novel magnetic materials. The implementation of such novel magnetic materials holds the promise of accelerating the development of faster and more energy-efficient computing devices to address the demand for more capable mobile computers.

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes a new technique for utilizing atomic defects for sensing applications. Atomic defects in host crystals such as diamond have emerged as a groundbreaking platform for quantum technologies. Atomic defects are naturally protected by the host crystal which eliminates the need for complex trapping mechanisms.

Better yet, unlike many platforms for quantum technologies which require vacuum and cryogenic temperatures to operate, crystal defects can retain their properties even in ambient conditions. Harnessing these features is a promising path toward realizing advanced microscopy tools with atomic resolution which can be integrated in the workflow of R&D labs.

However, due to the small size of these atomic defects and their relatively weak signal, engineering a reliable instrument based on this platform faces significant challenges. The goal of this project is to develop a robust technique for harnessing atomic defects to improve the performance of scanning magnetometer microscopes and break into new territories of resolution and sensitivity.

This achievement will pave the way for developing novel magnetic materials for spintronics to build faster and more power-efficient computing devices.

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.