The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s nuclear physics group is collaborating with Oak Ridge National Laboratory on the nEDM experiment, which aims to measure the neutron’s electric dipole moment to enhance understanding of particle physics. This measurement is critical for testing theories beyond the standard model, as neutrons, despite being neutral particles, can interact with electric fields. Professor Douglas Beck’s group is developing nitrogen-vacancy (NV) diamond sensors, known for their unique quantum properties that make them highly sensitive to electric fields at low temperatures. The NV diamonds feature impurities that enable them to form a quantum system responsive to electric fields when cooled sufficiently. By preparing these diamonds in a particular quantum state called a dark state, their sensitivity to electric fields is further enhanced, making them suitable for precise measurements in the nEDM experiment. The research will also explore NV diamond’s applications in quantum information science, leveraging its long-lived quantum states to improve quantum sensing and memory. With a $650,000 grant from the Department of Energy’s Quantum Horizons initiative, Beck’s group will work on developing robust sensors and investigate proposals for generating squeezed quantum states in NV diamonds, enhancing their applicability in various quantum technologies.
