Applications · Life sciences
Diamond sensors for molecules and living cells.
The NV centres we develop for navigation can also read biology, in two ways: nuclear magnetic resonance of molecules on a diamond surface, and relaxometry, which follows free-radical activity inside living cells.
Where we stand
Research direction. No product today. Work here would start with research partners, after navigation.
The domain
Molecules at a surface, and the magnetic noise of a living cell.
Two different measurements share one diamond sensor. One reads chemistry at a surface. The other follows free-radical activity inside a cell.
Chip-scale NMR brings nuclear magnetic resonance down to a sensor on a chip. NV centres close to the diamond surface pick up the nuclear spins of molecules sitting on it, in samples too small for a conventional coil. Relaxometry works differently. A fluorescent nanodiamond inside a living cell loses its spin polarisation faster when free radicals nearby add magnetic noise. Following that change over time gives a view of radical activity without consuming a chemical probe.
Why diamond
Where coils and dyes reach their limits.
Small samples
The signal comes from molecules right at the diamond surface, in volumes far too small for a conventional coil.
Inside living cells
Nanodiamonds are reported to be well tolerated by many cell types and are not used up by the measurement, so the same cell can be followed over time.
No dye to bleach
The sensor reads a magnetic signal directly. It does not rely on a dye that fades or reacts.
Room temperature
No cryogenics. The measurement runs at ambient conditions.
What carries over
Better diamond, and a reading that states its uncertainty.
Two parts of our navigation work apply here: the diamond material, whose quality sets the limit of every measurement made with it, and software that turns a noisy optical signal into a value with its uncertainty.
How we would work
Joint research, after navigation.
Work here would be joint research with laboratories in diamond fabrication, surface chemistry and NMR. It comes after navigation, our first application.
Questions
The basics, answered.
What is chip-scale NMR?
Chip-scale NMR brings nuclear magnetic resonance down to a sensor on a chip. With nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond, it reads the nuclear spins of molecules at or near the diamond surface, in sample volumes far too small for a conventional inductive coil.
What is quantum biosensing with nanodiamonds?
Fluorescent nanodiamonds that contain nitrogen-vacancy centres can act as magnetic sensors inside living cells. In relaxometry, magnetic noise from nearby free radicals shortens the spin relaxation time of the NV centres. Researchers use this to follow changes in radical activity over time, without consuming a chemical probe.
Does nanodiamond relaxometry measure a concentration?
Not directly. It senses magnetic noise near the sensor, which reflects radical activity around it. The signal is best read as a relative change over time, not as an absolute concentration.
Does Spectral Flow sell life-science instruments?
No. Life sciences is a research direction for Spectral Flow, to be pursued with research partners. Its first application is navigation without GPS.
Research in NMR, structural biology or cell biology?
If a measurement in your laboratory is limited by sample size or by the probe, we would like to hear about it.
Get in touchOne diamond platform