Quantum Whisper in Diamond ⚡ экспресс
Scientists have learned to read the magnetic states of countless defects in diamond with record accuracy, suppressing light noise and nearly reaching the ultimate limit—the intrinsic quantum noise of the particles. It’s like picking out a whisper in a crowded room. How will this reshape quantum technologies?
Every elementary particle has its own rotation—spin. These tiny magnetic spinning tops constantly tremble, generating a faint noise. Hearing it is hindered by the din of light used in detectors. But in a diamond with artificial defects—glowing NV centers—scientists found a loophole. Nitrogen atoms near the defects act like stable 'recorders': their nuclei record the trembling of electron spins, ignoring the optical cacophony.
Repeated readout using spectroscopy allowed the useful whisper to accumulate and reduced overall noise by 3.8 decibels—approaching the fundamental quantum limit. For the first time, correlations between spins appeared without distortion: how they 'talk' to each other. This opens the era of quantum sensors with unprecedented sensitivity. For example, such defects are already able to detect the magnetic field of a single protein molecule—and operate inside a living cell. In perspective—squeezing of spin states for even more precise measurements.
🎯 NV centers can detect the magnetic field of a single protein molecule—they are being explored as nanosensors inside living cells.