CSIRO researchers are transforming low-value industrial diamond dust into advanced quantum materials that could revolutionise sensing technologies across healthcare, environmental monitoring, defence and manufacturing.
Working with the University of Melbourne and Japan’s National Institute for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), the team is developing new manufacturing techniques that convert tiny diamond particles into precision nanodiamonds suitable for quantum applications.
The goal is to create a scalable and lower-cost pathway for producing quantum-grade diamond materials in Australia, reducing reliance on expensive imports and strengthening the nation’s sovereign capability in quantum technologies.
While diamonds are best known for their role in jewellery, their hardness, thermal conductivity and chemical stability make them valuable industrial materials. At the quantum level, specially engineered diamonds can act as highly sensitive detectors capable of identifying extremely faint magnetic signals from nearby molecules.
These capabilities could enable new approaches to detecting contaminants in water, identifying disease biomarkers and monitoring chemical processes in real time.
The technology relies on atomic-scale imperfections known as nitrogen-vacancy, or NV, centres. These defects are created when a nitrogen atom replaces a carbon atom in the diamond lattice while a neighbouring carbon atom is missing.
When illuminated with green light, NV centres emit a red glow that changes according to magnetic fields, electric fields, temperature and other environmental conditions. Scientists can measure these changes to create highly sensitive nanoscale sensors.
However, producing stable and effective NV centres remains technically challenging, particularly in nanodiamonds where surface characteristics play a critical role in sensor performance.
CSIRO researchers are focused on developing a lower-energy manufacturing process capable of producing sensing-ready nanodiamonds at scale. Success could significantly reduce the cost of quantum sensing technologies and broaden access to their applications.
Potential uses span a range of industries. In healthcare, diamond-based sensors could support faster and more accessible diagnostic tools. Environmental monitoring systems could detect trace contaminants more quickly, while chemical manufacturers could gain new capabilities for analysing complex processes.
Defence and national security applications are also being explored, including resilient navigation systems, threat detection and portable monitoring technologies.
The project is supported by the Australian Government’s Global Science and Technology Diplomacy Fund and combines QST’s advanced quantum beam facilities with Australian expertise in nanodiamond processing and quantum sensing.
Researchers will now focus on improving performance consistency, refining manufacturing techniques and validating the materials in practical sensing applications.
If successful, the work could establish an Australian supply chain for quantum-grade diamonds while positioning the country as a trusted participant in the rapidly expanding global quantum technology sector.
