THEMATIC HUB
Quantum Sensing & Metrology
IIT Bombay · Mumbai
Precision sensors utilizing quantum effects in diamond nitrogen-vacancy defects, cold atoms, and rubidium vapor to measure magnetic fields, gravity, and time with atomic accuracy under the Qmet Tech Foundation.
What this hub does
Mandate, technical execution model, and operational research scope.
Not every quantum technology is a computer. This hub builds sensors. Nitrogen-vacancy defects in diamond, for example, can detect tiny magnetic fields. Other devices measure gravity, or keep time, more accurately than conventional instruments.
Incorporated at IIT Bombay as the Qmet Tech Foundation (qmettech.com), the hub coordinates translational research across 16 partner institutions and over 40 lead researchers, running the NextSense startup acceleration programme.
Goals
Performance targets and technical delivery milestones.
Target is an aim. Reported is a public claim. Demonstrated has been shown working. Deployed is in service.
- Target
Atomic magnetometer sensitivity benchmark: 1 femtotesla/√Hz for deep biomagnetic and geophysical measurement.
- Target
Diamond Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) center magnetometer sensitivity benchmark: better than 1 picotesla/√Hz.
- Target
Atomic clocks and precision timing, including rubidium frequency standards for the NavIC satellite navigation constellation.
- Target
Cold atom gravimeters for subsurface density, subterranean void, and mineral detection.
- Target
Advanced quantum metrology standards.
Participating institutions
Academic hubs, national institutes, and partner research centres.
Coordinated through the Qmet Tech Foundation at IIT Bombay across 16 premier national institutions and over 40 lead researchers.
- IIT Bombay
- TIFR Mumbai
- IISc Bengaluru
- CSIR-NPL New Delhi
- RRI Bengaluru
- IIT Madras
- IIT Kanpur
- IIT Delhi
- IISER Pune
- IISER Bhopal
- IISER Kolkata
- TCG CREST Kolkata
- Harish-Chandra Research Institute (HRI)
- S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences
- Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
- IUCAA Pune
Technical groups
Designated research task groups established under government sanction.
Three specialized technology groups operating under the Qmet Tech Foundation to translate atomic and defect-based quantum phenomena into field-deployable sensors.
TG 1: Atomic Magnetometry & Vapor-Cell Sensors
Optically pumped Rubidium and Cesium vapor-cell magnetometers achieving sub-picotesla and femtotesla sensitivities for biomagnetic neural imaging (MEG), cardiology (MCG), and magnetic anomaly detection.
TG 2: Cold-Atom Gravimetry & Precision Atomic Clocks
Portable laser-cooled cold atom gravimeters for subterranean density and perimeter void scanning; compact rubidium and strontium optical lattice atomic clocks for NavIC satellite constellation synchronization.
TG 3: Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) Center Sensors & Quantum Microscopy
Diamond nitrogen-vacancy defect synthesis, nanoscale vector magnetometers, diamond quantum microscopes for materials defect mapping, and NextSense commercial acceleration.
Quantum Imaging & Entangled Photonics Track
Entangled photon-pair illumination, quantum ghost imaging, and sub-shot-noise biomedical microscopy.
Prototypes & Programs
Field trials, published standards, and validated hardware benchmarks.
- Reported
Portable vector magnetometer.
Aimed at sub-picotesla and femtotesla sensitivities for biomagnetic scanning and magnetic anomaly mapping.
- Reported
Quantum diamond microscope.
Utilizes nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond as magnetic-field sensors. Possible uses include magnetic imaging, materials research, biomedical and neural measurement, and semiconductor device analysis.
- Reported
Nano-positioner.
High-precision positioning hardware for quantum optical scanning and diamond defect alignment.
- Reported
NextSense Commercialization Programme.
Incubation vehicle established under Qmet Tech Foundation providing tiered funding (up to ₹1 Cr for PoC, up to ₹5 Cr for pilot, up to ₹25 Cr for commercial scale-up) for quantum sensing startups.
Startups
Domestic deep-tech enterprises and commercialization grantees.
- Pristine Diamonds
Pristine Diamonds (now Pristine Deeptech, acquired by HORIBA India) develops synthetic diamond substrates with NV centers for sensing.
Applications
Downstream defense, industrial, and strategic mission impact.
- Medical and neural imaging (MEG / MCG)
- Materials characterisation & defect detection
- Mineral and subterranean resource exploration
- Satellite navigation (NavIC) and precision time distribution
- Subterranean void and perimeter tunnel monitoring
- Time synchronisation for banking and financial exchanges
Open challenges
Fundamental scientific and supply-chain hurdles confronting scale.
- Ruggedisation for field deployment outside laboratory environments
- Calibration and reproducible diamond defect synthesis at scale
- Cost reduction of laser control optics and vacuum systems
- Integration into existing industrial and defense platforms
Hub news
Recent developments, research papers, and dispatches.
Sources
Departmental notifications and verification records.