【Molecular Systems and Materials Chemistry】Toward Mass Production of Quantum Sensors with High Reliability for Detecting Minuscule Disease Signs in Blood

Professor Norikazu Mizuochi of the Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, in collaboration with the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (hereafter QST), Chiba University, Institute of Science Tokyo, and Type-I Technologies Inc., has developed an innovative manufacturing process for "nanodiamond quantum sensors." These sensors are capable of detecting minuscule substances in blood that act as signs of diseases such as cancer with ultra-high sensitivity.
The new technology successfully reduces individual particle variations to approximately one-fourth of their original level and improves the quantum signal by 55%. Traditionally, nanodiamond quantum sensors were created by mechanically crushing raw diamond particles into nanoscale sizes. This mechanical crushing process caused structural defects and strains, leading to individual particle variations “quirks” that resulted in measurement errors—a long-standing challenge in the field.
To overcome this, the research group established a technique where they form the sensor functions directly into raw diamond particles beforehand, and then carefully shave the surface little by little using heat to extract only the highly crystalline core. This method maintains a small size suitable for cellular measurements and molecular detection while simultaneously achieving a significant reduction in particle variation and a massive increase in sensitivity. Furthermore, instead of selecting superior particles one by one, a large number of particles can be enhanced simultaneously, raising expectations for mass production.
This advancement is expected to significantly increase the reproducibility and reliability of measurements—which are indispensable for diagnostics—using nanodiamond quantum sensors. These sensors are anticipated to be utilized for the early diagnosis of various diseases, boasting a detection sensitivity said to be 100,000 times higher than conventional body fluid diagnostic technologies. Additionally, the sensitivity and reliability of cellular temperature measurements have been substantially improved, allowing for detailed observation of differences in cellular states, with future applications expected in cancer screening and other areas.
Furthermore, this novel approach shatters the conventional wisdom that quantum sensors with ultimate performance can only be produced in minute quantities. It introduces a fabrication method capable of scaling toward future mass production, including the batch manufacturing of uniform, ultra-sensitive quantum sensors. By paving the way for the mass production of high-performance nanoscale quantum sensors, the researchers believe this breakthrough will serve as a foundational technology, driving the realization and widespread adoption of ultra-early diagnostics for everyday diseases.

This research was published online in the international open-access academic journal ACS Nanoscience Au on October 7, 2026.

Bibliographic Information

Link

Quantum Material Science