Invited Speaker

Assoc. Prof. Sen Zhang

Harbin Institute of Technology

E-mail: szhang@hit.edu.cn

Title: Diamond (111) Facet Growth and Self-aligned NV Centers for Quantum Precision Sensing

Profile:

Associate Research Fellow at the School of Astronautics, Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT); Director of the Heilongjiang Province Proof-of-Concept Center; Selected for HIT's "Chunyan (Spring Goose) Program"; HIT Excellent Doctoral Dissertation Award recipient. Awarded 1st Prize in the Heilongjiang Province Science and Technology Invention Award and 2 Gold Medals in the International Internet Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. Research interests include novel solid-state quantum systems based on diamond NV centers. Has published 32 papers in journals such as AM, AFM, and Carbon, authored 1 book chapter, and applied for over 30 patents. Recognized as a Wiley China High-Contribution Author. Awarded a Special Gold Medal and a Silver Medal at the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions. Participated as a core member in several major national scientific research projects, including transformative technology and strategic international cooperation projects. Main research directions include diamond crystal growth, diamond precision machining, quantum precision measurement technology for solid-state quantum systems, masers, and diamond micro/nano electromechanical devices.

Abstract: 

The development of robust and highly sensitive quantum sensors is paramount for advancements in diverse fields, from biomedical imaging to fundamental physics. Among the promising candidates, nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond stand out due to their exceptional spin coherence properties even at room temperature. However, achieving optimal sensor performance critically depends on the precise control and alignment of these quantum defects within the diamond lattice. This work addresses this challenge by presenting a novel approach that leverages controlled diamond (111) facet growth to achieve the self-alignment of NV centers. By carefully tailoring the growth conditions, we demonstrate a method that inherently promotes the preferential incorporation and crystallographic alignment of NV centers along desired orientations. This technique significantly enhances the ensemble's spin coherence and optimizes the NV centers' sensitivity, overcoming limitations associated with randomly oriented defects. The successful realization of self-aligned NV centers through this targeted (111) facet growth paves the way for the development of high-performance diamond-based quantum sensors with unprecedented precision in detecting magnetic fields, electric fields, temperature, and strain, ultimately advancing the frontier of quantum precision sensing.