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Masazumi Fujiwara

Publications and source records attributed to Masazumi Fujiwara.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Universal scaling of electrochemical information transfer at solid-liquid interfaces

Electrochemical potentials at solid-liquid interfaces govern diverse chemical and energy conversion processes; however, the extent to which their electrochemical influence extends into the solid remains unclear. Here, we show that the maximum accessible electrochemical information is governed by a single dimensionless screening parameter $u$, defined as the ratio of the effective electrostatic separation between the interface and probe to the electrostatic propagation length in the solid. The maximum Fisher information follows a universal inverse-square scaling with this parameter. This relation identifies electrostatic screening as a fundamental constraint on information transfer across solid-liquid interfaces and provides quantitative design principles for interfacial electrochemical sensing.

physics.app-ph↗

Engineering Nanodiamonds for Quantum Sensing: Material Constraints at the Nanoscale

Optically addressable solid-state spin defects have emerged as powerful multimodal quantum sensors, with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in bulk diamond providing benchmark quantum control and sensitivity under ambient conditions. Embedding such defects in nanodiamonds (NDs) extends these capabilities to mobile probes capable of accessing complex biological and nanoscale environments. Reduced dimensions, however, introduce constraints beyond volumetric spin impurities, notably enhanced lattice strain and surface-induced noise sources, which shorten NV spin relaxation times (T1 and T2) and destabilize the NV charge state, as well as resulting in pronounced particle-to-particle variability in NDs typically produced by top-down approaches. These effects complicate both sensing performance and the quantitative interpretation of multimodal signals in realistic environments. This article provides a structured perspective on the physical mechanisms by which material properties constrain NV behavior in NDs, together with mitigation strategies that shape the robust use of these mobile quantum sensors for biosensing and nanoscale science.

quant-ph↗

Quantum-grade nanodiamonds for ultrabright spin detection in live cells

Optically accessible spin-active nanomaterials are promising as quantum nanosensors for probing biological samples. However, achieving bioimaging-level brightness and high-quality spin properties for these materials is challenging and hinders their application in quantum biosensing. Here, we demonstrate ultrabright fluorescent nanodiamonds (NDs) containing 0.6-1.3-ppm nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers by spin-environment engineering via enriching spin-less 12C-carbon isotopes and reducing substitutional nitrogen spin impurities. The NDs, readily introduced into cultured cells, exhibited substantially narrow optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectra, requiring 16-times less microwave excitation power to give an ODMR depth comparable to that of conventional type-Ib NDs. They show average spin-relaxation times of T1 = 0.68 ms and T_2 = 1.6 us (1.6 ms and 2.7 us maximum) that were 5- and 11-fold longer than those of type-Ib, respectively. The bulk-like NV spin properties and bright fluorescence demonstrated in this study significantly improve the sensitivity of ND-based quantum sensors for biological applications.

physics.app-ph↗

Diamond quantum sensors in microfluidics technology

Diamond quantum sensing is an emerging technology for probing multiple physico-chemical parameters in the nano- to micro-scale dimensions within diverse chemical and biological contexts. Integrating these sensors into microfluidic devices enables the precise quantification and analysis of small sample volumes in microscale channels. In this Perspective, we present recent advancements in the integration of diamond quantum sensors with microfluidic devices and explore their prospects with a focus on forthcoming technological developments.

physics.app-ph↗

Glass-patternable notch-shaped microwave architecture for on-chip spin detection in biological samples

We report a notch-shaped coplanar microwave waveguide antenna on a glass plate designed for on-chip detection of optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) of fluorescent nanodiamonds (NDs). A lithographically patterned thin wire at the center of the notch area in the coplanar waveguide realizes a millimeter-scale ODMR detection area (1.5 x 2.0 mm^2) and gigahertz-broadband characteristics with low reflection (about 8%). The ODMR signal intensity in the detection area is quantitatively predictable by numerical simulation. Using this chip device, we demonstrate a uniform ODMR signal intensity over the detection area for cells, tissue, and worms. The present demonstration of a chip-based microwave architecture will enable scalable chip integration of ODMR-based quantum sensing technology into various bioassay platforms.

physics.app-ph↗

Diamond quantum thermometry: From foundations to applications

Diamond quantum thermometry exploits the optical and electrical spin properties of colour defect centres in diamonds and, acts as a quantum sensing method exhibiting ultrahigh precision and robustness. Compared to the existing luminescent nanothermometry techniques, a diamond quantum thermometer can be operated over a wide temperature range and a sensor spatial scale ranging from nanometres to micrometres. Further, diamond quantum thermometry is employed in several application, including electronics and biology, to explore these fields with nanoscale temperature measurements. This review covers the operational principles of diamond quantum thermometry for spin-based and all-optical methods, material development of diamonds with a focus on thermometry, and examples of applications in electrical and biological systems with demand-based technological requirements.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Wide-field fluorescent nanodiamond spin measurements toward real-time large-area intracellular quantum thermometry

In this study, we analyze the operational process of nanodiamond (ND) quantum thermometry based on wide-field detection of optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) of nitrogen vacancy centers, and compare its performance with that of confocal ODMR detection. We found that (1) the thermometry results are significantly affected by the shape and size of the camera region of interest (ROI) surrounding the target NDs and that (2) by properly managing the ROI and acquisition parameters of the camera, a temperature precision comparable to confocal detection in living cells can be obtained by wide-field ODMR. Our results are significant to the development of camera-based real-time large-area quantum thermometry of living cells.

physics.app-ph↗

Real-time estimation of the optically detected magnetic resonance shift in diamond quantum thermometry

We investigate the real-time estimation protocols for the frequency shift of optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in nanodiamonds (NDs). Efficiently integrating multipoint ODMR measurements and ND particle tracking into fluorescence microscopy has recently demonstrated stable monitoring of the temperature inside living animals. We analyze the multipoint ODMR measurement techniques (3-, 4-, and 6-point methods) in detail and quantify the amount of measurement artifact owing to several systematic errors derived from instrumental errors of experimental hardware and ODMR spectral shape. We propose a practical approach to minimize the effect of these factors, which allows for measuring accurate temperatures of single NDs during dynamic thermal events. We also discuss integration of noise filters, data estimation protocols, and possible artifacts for further developments in real-time temperature estimation. The present study provides technical details of quantum diamond thermometry and discusses factors that may affect the temperature estimation in biological applications.

physics.app-ph↗

Real-time nanodiamond thermometry probing in-vivo thermogenic responses

Real-time temperature monitoring inside living organisms provides a direct measure of their biological activities, such as homeostatic thermoregulation and energy metabolism. However, it is challenging to reduce the size of bio-compatible thermometers down to submicrometers despite their potential applications for the thermal imaging of subtissue structures with single-cell resolution. Light-emitting nanothermometers that remotely sense temperature via optical signals exhibit considerable potential in such \textit{in-vivo} high-spatial-resolution thermometry. Here, using quantum nanothermometers based on optically accessible electron spins in nanodiamonds (NDs), we demonstrate \textit{in-vivo} real-time temperature monitoring inside \textit{Caenorhabditis elegans} (\textit{C. elegans}) worms. We developed a thermometry system that can measure the temperatures of movable NDs inside live adult worms with a precision of $\pm 0.22^{\circ}{\rm C}$. Using this system, we determined the increase in temperature based on the thermogenic responses of the worms during the chemical stimuli of mitochondrial uncouplers. Our technique demonstrates sub-micrometer localization of real-time temperature information in living animals and direct identification of their pharmacological thermogenesis. The results obtained facilitate the development of a method to probe subcellular temperature variation inside living organisms and may allow for quantification of their biological activities based on their energy expenditures.

q-bio.QM↗

Monitoring spin coherence of single nitrogen-vacancy centers in nanodiamonds during pH changes in aqueous buffer solutions

We report on sensing stability of nanodiamond (ND) quantum sensors in various pH aqueous buffer solutions for the two detection schemes of quantum decoherence spectroscopy and thermometry. The electron spin properties of single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in 25-nm-sized NDs have been characterized by a spin-measurement compatible perfusion (SMCP) chamber where observing the same individual NDs in different buffer solutions is possible. With this system, we have determined the stability of the NV quantum sensors during the pH change from 4 to 11 as the fluctuations of +- 12% and +- 0.2 MHz for the spin coherence time ($T_2$) and the resonance frequency ($ω_0$) of their mean values, which are comparable to the instrumental error of the measurement system. Here, we discuss the importance of characterizing the sensing stability during pH changes and how the present observations affect ND-based NV quantum sensing.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Effect of surface oxidation on electron spin coherence of single nitrogen-vacancy centers in nanodiamonds

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (NDs) are crystal defect-based light-emitting nanoparticles that can be applied to quantum information science and quantum sensing. Of particular interest are nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers that allow optical access to their coherently controllable electron spin systems, leading to spin-photon quantum devices and nanoscale sensing of various physical parameters. However, the NV spin coherence time (T2) in NDs has been limited to one or two orders of magnitude shorter than those in bulk diamonds owing to the complicated surface effect that decoheres the NV spin systems. Here, we study the relation between the surface properties and T2 of single NV centers in NDs by systematically analyzing the effect of surface oxidation. We apply aerobic and acidic oxidation methods with various heating temperatures and processing times and find that aerobic oxidation most effectively oxidizes the surface and extends T2 by a factor of 1.6 to the original NDs. The ND-size dependence of T2 clearly shows that the surface oxidation removes a constant decoherence contribution irrespective of the ND size and that a new surface derived decoherence source emerges when the ND size reduces below 50 nm. The present results provide quantitative information on the decoherence sources of NV spin systems of NDs and will enable a strategic surface modification for better spin manipulations of NV centers in the context of quantum information science and nanoscale quantum sensing.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Observation of rotational Brownian motion of single diamond nanoparticles

Capturing the rotational motion of single nanoparticles has been hindered owing to the difficulty of acquiring directional information under the optical diffraction limit. Here, we demonstrate that electron spins of single nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers can sense the rotational Brownian motion of their host nanodiamonds. When nanodiamonds are gradually detached from the substrates that they were fixed to, their optically detected spin resonance peaks are broadened by 1.8 MHz, which corresponds to the rotational diffusion constant of nanoparticles with a diameter of 11.4 nm from the Einstein-Smoluchowski relation.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Ultrathin fiber-taper coupling with nitrogen vacancy centers in nanodiamonds at cryogenic temperatures

We demonstrate cooling of ultrathin fiber tapers coupled with nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in nanodiamonds to cryogenic temperatures. Nanodiamonds containing multiple NV centers are deposited on the subwavelength 480-nm-diameter nanofiber region of fiber tapers. The fiber tapers are successfully cooled to 9 K using our home-built mounting holder and an optimized cooling speed. The fluorescence from the nanodiamond NV centers is efficiently channeled into a single guided mode and shows characteristic sharp zero-phonon lines of both neutral and negatively charged NV centers. The present nanofiber/nanodiamond hybrid systems at cryogenic temperatures can be used as NV-based quantum information devices and for highly sensitive nanoscale magnetometry in a cryogenic environment.

quant-ph↗

Highly Efficient Coupling of Nanolight Emitters to a Ultra-wide Tunable Nanofibre Cavity

Solid-state microcavities combining ultra-small mode volume, wide-range resonance frequency tuning, as well as lossless coupling to a single mode fibre are integral tools for nanophotonics and quantum networks. We developed an integrated system providing all of these three indispensable properties. It consists of a nanofibre Bragg cavity (NFBC) with the mode volume of under 1 micro cubic meter and repeatable tuning capability over more than 20 nm at visible wavelengths. In order to demonstrate quantum light-matter interaction, we establish coupling of quantum dots to our tunable NFBC and achieve an emission enhancement by a factor of 2.7.

physics.optics↗

Highly efficient coupling of photons from nanoemitters into single-mode optical fibers

Highly efficient coupling of photons from nanoemitters into single-mode optical fibers is demonstrated using tapered fibers. 7.4 +/- 1.2 % of the total emitted photons from single CdSe/ZnS nanocrystals were coupled into a 300-nm-diameter tapered fiber. The dependence of the coupling efficiency on the taper diameter was investigated and the coupling efficiency was found to increase exponentially with decreasing diameter. This method is very promising for nanoparticle sensing and single-photon sources.

physics.optics↗

Coupling of ultrathin tapered fibers with high-Q microsphere resonators at cryogenic temperatures and observation of phase-shift transition from undercoupling to overcoupling

We cooled ultrathin tapered fibers to cryogenic temperatures and controllably coupled them with high-Q microsphere resonators at a wavelength close to the optical transition of diamond nitrogen vacancy centers. The 310-nm-diameter tapered fibers were stably nanopositioned close to the microspheres with a positioning stability of approximately 10 nm over a temperature range of 7-28 K. A cavity-induced phase shift was observed in this temperature range, demonstrating a discrete transition from undercoupling to overcoupling.

quant-ph↗

Optical transmittance degradation in tapered fibers

We investigated the cause of optical transmittance degradation in tapered fibers. Degradation commences immediately after fabrication and it eventually reduces the transmittance to almost zero. It is a major problem that limits applications of tapered fibers. We systematically investigated the effect of the dust-particle density and the humidity on the degradation dynamics. The results clearly show that the degradation is mostly due to dust particles and that it is not related to the humidity. In a dust free environment it is possible to preserve the transmittance with a degradation of less than the noise (+/- ?0.02) over 1 week.

physics.optics↗

Phase shift spectra of a fiber-microsphere system at the single photon level

We succeeded in measuring phase shift spectra of a microsphere cavity coupled with a tapered fiber using a weak coherent probe light at the single photon level. We utilized a tapered fiber with almost no depolarization and constructed a very stable phase shift measurement scheme based on polarization analysis using photon counting. Using a very weak probe light (\bar{n} = 0:41), we succeeded in observing the transition in the phase shift spectrum between undercoupling and overcoupling (at gap distances of 500 and 100 nm, respectively).We also used quantum state tomography to obtain a 'purity spectrum'. Even in the overcoupling regime, the average purity was 0.982 \pm 0.024 (minimum purity: 0.892), suggesting that the coherence of the fiber-microsphere system was well preserved. Based on these results, we believe this system is applicable to quantum phase gates using single light emitters such as diamond nitrogen vacancy centers.

quant-ph↗