Context
Physicists from Purdue University recently levitated and rapidly spun fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) in a high vacuum.
About Fluorescent Nanodiamonds(FNDs)
- Nanodiamonds are nanoscale diamonds, typically measuring less than 100 nanometers in diameter.
- Made from carbon nanoparticles.
- Produced under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions.
- Fluorescent nanodiamonds are a specialized type of nanodiamond that has been treated or doped with specific materials to exhibit fluorescence.
- They can emit light when exposed to certain wavelengths of light or other energy sources.
- Features of Fluorescent Nanodiamonds
- Non-toxic, safe for use in biological systems.
- Structural Stability: Retain structure even in extreme conditions like high vacuum or fast rotation.
- Can be doped with other elements (e.g., nitrogen) to modify electrical or optical properties.
- Long fluorescence lifespan: Greater than 10 nanoseconds, providing stability.
- Applications
- Fluorescent Nanodiamonds:
- Bioimaging (e.g., cell tracking, tumor imaging)
- Sensing (e.g., temperature, magnetic fields)
- Nanodiamonds:
- Abrasives and polishing agents
- Lubricants
- Electronics (e.g., heat sinks)
- Drug delivery
- Fluorescent Nanodiamonds:
About the Study:
- The study enables testing of quantum mechanics and the quantum nature of gravity using rapidly rotating FNDs.
- The team used electric and magnetic fields to spin FNDs at 20 million times per second.
- Stable and controllable rotation frequency was achieved.
- Quantum Spin and Spin Qubits
- Spin: Basic property of particles like electrons and nuclei; can be up or down.
- Electrons’ spin can be manipulated to perform operations in a quantum computer.
- A computer maps spin values to 0s and 1s, encoding data.
Source:
TH
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Previous Year Question
Ilmenite and rutile, abundantly available in certain coastal tracts of India, are rich sources of which one of the following?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2023 Prelims]
(a) Aluminium
(b) Copper
(c) Iron
(d) Titanium
Answer: (d)
