Levitating nanodiamonds to test the limits of the quantum
superposition principle
Single nitrogen-vacancy (NV-) centres in
diamond have isolated electronic and
nuclear spins which can store quantum
information at room temperature for
unprecedentedly long times. We have
built an exciting new experiment to study
nanodiamonds while they are levitated by
a focused laser beam. Our theoretical
proposals (developed in collaboration
with colleagues in University College
London and Imperial College) suggest
that we could put these diamonds into a
quantum superposition in which they try
out being in two places at once. They
would be the heaviest things to do this,
which would let us probe the boundary
between the classical and quantum
worlds.
We seek a PhD student to further set up
and run this experiment. Our lab includes
several other NV- experiments for
quantum
technology
focused
on
nanoscale magnetometry and quantum
information processing. Developments
on these proceed in collaboration with the
levitated nanodiamond experiment.
Contact Gavin Morley
(gavin.morley@warwick.ac.uk) for more
details.
A levitated nanodiamond in our lab.
A nanodiamond forest grown in our
cleanroom.