Victor Acosta, an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at The University of New Mexico, was named a 2024 Experimental Physics Investigator by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and will receive a five-year $1.25 million research grant to investigate the true limits of precision measurement. Acosta was one of 19 researchers to receive the award.
Acosta’s project will focus on precision measurement of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond. His research team aims to develop methods for precision metrology that could lead to foundational order-of-magnitude gains in measurement sensitivity.
“This particular research project is focused on using nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamonds, essentially defects that have unique optical and magnetic properties, to push the frontier of the precision measurement field,” Acosta said. “This award frees our team to pursue curiosity-driven research, which will allow us to explore the limits of the field and see what is possible.”
The Moore Foundation award is designed for mid-career physicists who have recently received tenure, allowing experienced researchers to investigate new questions with the flexibility to change direction as needed.
The synthetic diamonds used in Acosta’s research are a little different than the sparkly gemstones used in engagement rings. Diamonds used for physics research look more like glass rectangles and often have higher fluorescence than what someone might want in jewelry. They may not sparkle either, but the gems play an imperative role in pushing the boundaries of physics.
Eventually, the results could be used in detecting magnetic field produced by neuronal currents in the brain, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy chemical analysis, and potentially the search for new particles that could explain dark matter.
The team will study the use of tricks that can suppress the impact of microwave noise, the use of magnetic flux concentrators, and study the energy level dynamics of the nitrogen-vacancy center to develop methods to improve the optical readout of the system. The approach was originally utilized by the atomic clock and magnetic resonance communities.
"I'm so impressed by the wide range of precision measurement applications we should see from nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond, all the way from medical applications to maybe looking for dark matter. Dr. Acosta’s planned research could lead to enormous improvements in that precision, bringing these goals closer to reality,” Richard Rand, chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, said.
Acosta’s collaborations with other researchers and students in his lab helped lay the foundation for the work the team will explore with the Moore Foundation funding. He thanked Janis Smits, a postdoctoral fellow, for his productivity and expertise in developing diamond nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Yaser Silani, a postdoctoral fellow, for his work in magnetic flux concentrators and radio-frequency magnetometry; Maziar Saleh Ziabari, a UNM graduate student, for his efforts in phase noise spectroscopy and isotropic flux concentration; and Andris Berzins, research assistant professor, for his recent work in magnetic gradiometry and infrared absorption spectroscopy.
The Moore Foundation seeks to build a community of experimental physicists by funding new cohorts each year. This is the third year of the program. Learn more about the award on the Moore Foundation website.