Novel Quantum Sensing Tools for the Rhizosphere
Authors:
Ashok Ajoy1,2* ([email protected], PI) , Brooke Newell1,2, Zhao Hao2, Benjamin Gilbert2
Institutions:
1University of California–Berkeley; 2Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Goals
Development of quantum sensing tools for chemical analytes of relevance to the rhizosphere.
Abstract
This poster outlines the collaborative efforts between University of California–Berkeley (UCB) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) towards innovating quantum sensing technologies for the rhizosphere. Work at UCB is bifurcated into two main streams: firstly, the development of novel quantum sensor probes utilizing hyperpolarized carbon-13 (13C) nuclei in nanodiamonds. These probes, capitalizing on the unique properties of 13C nuclear spins, act as sensitive magnetometers for time-varying fields under strong bias magnetic fields. Group members report on protocols for their application as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensors, providing unprecedented chemical and spatial resolution. Notably, these sensors exhibit exceptionally long coherence times, surpassing T2’=800s at 100 K, while inherently filtering out common-mode instrumental noise. Secondly, the group is advancing a new technology platform for detecting rhizosphere-specific analytes using nanodiamonds embedded in monodisperse, picoliter-volume microdroplets.
This approach aims to encapsulate and sense chemical analytes from the rhizosphere efficiently within a rapidly flowing system. This research shows chemical sensing for model target paramagnetic analytes with an excellent limit of detection (~100 nm). At LBNL, group members discovered that nitrogen vacancy relaxometry can provide a new contrast mechanism for plant tissue imaging. Researchers observed gradients in the relaxation variables at subcellular length-scales and are working to understand the underlying processes or species that couple to the quantum sensing centers. Currently, the team is working on enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio through surface preparation and various instrumentation improvements. Simultaneously, the team is developing complementary approaches to enable biologically relevant characterization under the existing quantum sensing microscope. Additionally, researchers are constructing novel imaging and data analysis capabilities, e.g., using hydrogen relaxometry, to study water movements within biological systems.
Funding Information
The research team gratefully acknowledges funding from DOE BER DE-SC0023065.