Diamonds: A Quantum Revolution Shaping Future Technologies
About 80 years ago, the company "De Beers" popularized the famous slogan: "A diamond is forever".
Today, this phrase takes on a new meaning as diamonds transition from symbols of beauty and durability to scientific instruments that could fundamentally alter our lives.
Physicists have found that by introducing specific "defects" into the perfect crystalline structure of diamonds, they can create ultra-sensitive sensors capable of detecting atomic-level physical phenomena, including brain wave readings, satellite-free navigation, and rapid disease diagnostics.
These advancements are part of what scientists refer to as the "second quantum revolution", a new phase following a century of quantum mechanics development by German physicist Werner Heisenberg. While the first revolution transformed electronics and lasers, the second focuses on precise control of quantum phenomena, paving the way for significant applications in computing, encryption, and detection.
It is ironic that this scientific revolution coincides with a downturn in the natural diamond market since the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen declining sales in favor of cheaper synthetic stones from China. Nevertheless, companies like Element Six, a subsidiary of "De Beers", are betting on the "technology diamond" to revitalize the industry, particularly in quantum fields.
The story began 20 years ago with the discovery of a natural pink diamond in Siberia, dubbed "the Russian wonder" for its ability to maintain a quantum state at room temperature. After challenges in finding similar stones, scientists successfully created quantum diamonds in laboratories by introducing "nitrogen-vacancy centers", where two carbon atoms are replaced by one nitrogen atom and a vacancy.
These centers act as precise compasses that detect magnetic changes, as the electron alters its quantum state based on surrounding fields, allowing diamonds to sense minute variations, including the movement of a car from 100 meters away and through thick walls.
* Potential applications are remarkable:
• Satellite-free aerial navigation by mapping the Earth's magnetic field to avoid satellite interference.
• Geological exploration for mineral detection through magnetic variation readings.
• Medicine, where quantum sensors could replace traditional electrocardiograms and detect viruses like COVID-19 and HIV at early stages, with a sensitivity exceeding rapid tests by a factor of a thousand, according to a recent study in Nature Communications.
• Brain-machine interfaces, enabling device control solely through thought, in a market estimated at 5 billion dollars.
Despite these advancements, challenges remain, particularly in integrating diamonds with silicon-based electronics. However, the advantage of diamonds lies in their functionality at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure, making them ideal for sensors rather than large-scale quantum computing.
Global companies such as Element Six, Quantum Brilliance in Australia, and Quantum Diamonds in Germany are racing to develop this technology, while experts believe the next decade will determine whether diamonds will remain mere ornaments or become the cornerstone of a new scientific revolution.
