How Scientists Built the New Quantum Sensors

To create the new sensors, researchers bombarded thin sheets of boron nitride with neutron radiation to knock out boron atoms. These missing atoms, or vacancies, quickly trap nearby electrons whose spin energies are highly sensitive to their surroundings — including changes in magnetic fields, temperature, stress, and other physical conditions. By tracking the spin behavior of these electrons, scientists can gather quantum-level details about the materials they study.

Figure 1. Unbreakable” Quantum Sensor Endures Pressures Up to 30,000 Atmospheres.

Zu and his team had previously designed similar sensors using diamond — the technology behind WashU’s two quantum diamond microscopes. However, diamond sensors have a limitation: their three-dimensional structure makes it difficult to position them extremely close to the material being examined.

Boron nitride offers a key advantage. As a two-dimensional material, it can be made less than 100 nanometers thick — about 1,000 times thinner than a human hair. “Because the sensors are in a material that’s essentially two-dimensional, there’s less than a nanometer between the sensor and the material it measures,” Zu explained. Figure 1 shows Unbreakable” Quantum Sensor Endures Pressures Up to 30,000 Atmospheres.

Even so, diamonds remain essential. “To study materials under high pressure, we need a platform that won’t break,” said He. The team used diamonds — the hardest natural substance — to make “diamond anvils,” two flat diamond tips about 400 micrometers wide (roughly the width of four dust particles). When pressed together in a high-pressure chamber, these anvils generate extreme pressures, as He noted: “The easiest way to create high pressure is to apply great force over a very small area.”

Testing the Sensors and Exploring Future Applications

Initial tests revealed that the new quantum sensors could detect minute changes in the magnetic field of a two-dimensional magnet — a strong proof of their sensitivity and precision. Building on this success, the researchers plan to study other materials, including rock samples similar to those found deep within Earth’s core. “Measuring how these rocks respond to pressure could help us better understand earthquakes and other large-scale geological events,” Zu explained.

Beyond geoscience, the sensors could also transform research on superconductivity — the phenomenon where materials conduct electricity with zero resistance. Current superconductors function only under extreme conditions of high pressure and very low temperatures. Reports of room-temperature superconductors have been controversial and difficult to verify. “With this kind of sensor, we can gather the critical data needed to settle that debate,” said Gong, who co-led the study with He.

Zu emphasized that the breakthrough highlights the importance of the NSF NRT training grant. “The program promotes collaboration across universities,” he noted. “Now that we have these sensors, along with the high-pressure chamber and diamond anvils, we’re positioned to explore an even wider range of scientific frontiers.”

Source:SciTECHDaily

Cite this article:

Priyadharshini S (2025), Scientists Create “Unbreakable” Quantum Sensor Capable of Withstanding 30,000 Atmospheres, AnaTechMaz, pp. 296