Dr. Aparajita Singha receives CZS Nexus Award from Carl Zeiss Foundation
for initiating dedicated research based on Nitrogen-Vacancy centers in diamond.
Dr. Singha, Group Leader of the Quantum Sensing group at Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research (MPI-FKF), has been awarded the CZS Nexus grant from the Carl Zeiss Foundation for initiating dedicated research based on Nitrogen-Vacancy centers in diamond. She will be establishing an interdisciplinary research group focusing on non-invasive magnetic imaging and atomic-scale quantum control over the next 5 years using the allocated grant of 1.5 million Euro.
“The appeal of controlling individual atoms and molecules at their native spatio-temporal limit has driven fundamental research and technological breakthroughs for decades. My group focuses on non-invasive sensing and control of such delicate systems in extremely unperturbed environments, by using highly sensitive quantum probes such as the nitrogen vacancy centers. The goal of these developments is to create the missing tool for directly accessing and controlling atomic or molecular-scale quantum devices which has the potential to stably operate at a broad range of temperatures”, says Dr. Singha about her CZS Nexus project “Non-invasive magnetic imaging of surface-supported spin qubits”.
Dr. Singha has extensive research experience in experimental condensed matter physics, particularly on magnetism of low-dimensional systems. Her PhD from EPFL, Switzerland was instrumental in identifying and overcoming the fundamental challenges for realising the first single-atom and single-molecule magnets on surfaces. During her postdoctoral research at the IBS centre for Quantum Nanoscience in South Korea, she further explored quantum sensing at the atomic-scale using a novel technique which combines electron spin resonance with scanning tunnelling microscopy. Since Jan 2020, she is leading the Quantum Sensing group at MPI-FKF for achieving similar feats at higher temperatures. Being simultaneously supported by the Young Researcher Grant through the IQST, the research focus of her group stands at the intersection of quantum nanoscience and engineering “with the goal of opening up a new direction in the field of coherent quantum control”.
The research group of Dr. Singha is hosted at the Nanoscale Science department which is directed by Prof. Klaus Kern. Alongside utilizing the expertise, in-house facilities and the infrastructure readily available within this department, she is also closely collaborating with the Fellow group of Prof. Jörg Wrachtrup from the University of Stuttgart.
With the support from the CZS Nexus grant of the Carl Zeiss Foundation, Dr. Singha is now looking forward to expanding her group by welcoming new PhD students and Postdoctoral researchers. Interested candidates should directly contact Dr. Singha via email.
