Bright Quantum-Grade Fluorescent Nanodiamonds

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 bright fluorescent nanodiamonds (NDs) containing 0.6–1.3-ppm negatively charged 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 improved optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectra; peak splitting (E) was reduced by 2–3 MHz, and microwave excitation power required was 20 times lower to achieve a 3% ODMR contrast, comparable to that of conventional type-Ib NDs. They show average spin-relaxation times of T₁ = 0.68 ms and T₂ = 3.2 μs (1.6 ms and 5.4 μs maximum) that were 5- and 11-fold longer than those of type-Ib, respectively. Additionally, the extended T₂ relaxation times of these NDs enable shot-noise-limited temperature measurements with a sensitivity of approximately 0.28K/Hz⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯√$0.28\mathrm{K}/\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$$0.28\mathrm{K}/\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$. The combination of bulk-like NV spin properties and enhanced fluorescence significantly improves the sensitivity of ND-based quantum sensors for biological applications.