New method could sharpen diamond quantum sensors for tracking activity in single cells
A diamond-based quantum sensor inserted into a living cell can provide previously unseen levels of detail about how life works and how diseases form. "Think of it as an EKG for a single cell—a way to capture everything happening inside at once, in real time," said University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering professor Aaron Esser-Kahn. "We routinely monitor vital signs in…
Diamond-based quantum sensors inserted into living cells reveal detailed information about cellular processes, akin to an EKG for individual cells. These sensors, developed by a team from the University of Chicago and the University of Iowa, had been made less toxic and more effective by coating them in silica. This coating reduced energy-level shifts known as zero-field splitting (ZFS), which had previously been assumed to be caused by the diamond reacting to the cell's temperature.
However, the research found that ZFS shifts were actually caused by surface effects, specifically electrons lost from the diamond's center. These findings could lead to more precise measurements of cellular activity and better biosensors for understanding life processes.
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