Diamond quantum sensing is an emerging technology for probing multiple physico-chemical parameters in the nano- to micro-scale dimensions within diverse chemical and biological contexts. Integrating these sensors into microfluidic devices enables the precise quantification and analysis of small sample volumes in microscale channels. In this Perspective, we present recent advancements in the integration of diamond quantum sensors with microfluidic devices and explore their prospects with a focus on forthcoming technological developments.

1.
H. T.
Ngo
,
H.-N.
Wang
,
A. M.
Fales
,
B. P.
Nicholson
,
C. W.
Woods
, and
T.
Vo-Dinh
, “
DNA bioassay-on-chip using SERS detection for dengue diagnosis
,”
Analyst
139
,
5655
5659
(
2014
).
2.
M.
Maeki
,
S.
Uno
,
A.
Niwa
,
Y.
Okada
, and
M.
Tokeshi
, “
Microfluidic technologies and devices for lipid nanoparticle-based RNA delivery
,”
J. Controlled Release
344
,
80
96
(
2022
).
3.
M.
Rothbauer
,
H.
Zirath
, and
P.
Ertl
, “
Recent advances in microfluidic technologies for cell-to-cell interaction studies
,”
Lab Chip
18
,
249
270
(
2018
).
4.
J.
Wen
,
L. A.
Legendre
,
J. M.
Bienvenue
, and
J. P.
Landers
, “
Purification of nucleic acids in microfluidic devices
,”
Anal. Chem.
80
,
6472
6479
(
2008
).
5.
Y.
Hattori
,
T.
Shimada
,
T.
Yasui
,
N.
Kaji
, and
Y.
Baba
, “
Micro- and nanopillar chips for continuous separation of extracellular vesicles
,”
Anal. Chem.
91
,
6514
6521
(
2019
).
6.
C. M.
Leung
,
P.
De Haan
,
K.
Ronaldson-Bouchard
,
G.-A.
Kim
,
J.
Ko
,
H. S.
Rho
,
Z.
Chen
,
P.
Habibovic
,
N. L.
Jeon
,
S.
Takayama
et al., “
A guide to the organ-on-a-chip
,”
Nature Rev. Methods Primers
2
,
33
(
2022
).
7.
A. R.
Vollertsen
,
A.
Vivas
,
B.
van Meer
,
A.
van den Berg
,
M.
Odijk
, and
A. D.
van der Meer
, “
Facilitating implementation of organs-on-chips by open platform technology
,”
Biomicrofluidics
15
,
051301
(
2021
).
8.
G. A.
Ferrier
,
S. F.
Romanuik
,
D. J.
Thomson
,
G. E.
Bridges
, and
M. R.
Freeman
, “
A microwave interferometric system for simultaneous actuation and detection of single biological cells
,”
Lab Chip
9
,
3406
3412
(
2009
).
9.
F. C.
Ziem
,
N. S.
Götz
,
A.
Zappe
,
S.
Steinert
, and
J.
Wrachtrup
, “
Highly sensitive detection of physiological spins in a microfluidic device
,”
Nano Lett.
13
,
4093
4098
(
2013
).
10.
J.
Wackerlig
and
R.
Schirhagl
, “
Applications of molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles and their advances toward industrial use: A review
,”
Anal. Chem.
88
,
250
261
(
2016
).
11.
T.
Rendler
,
J.
Neburkova
,
O.
Zemek
,
J.
Kotek
,
A.
Zappe
,
Z.
Chu
,
P.
Cigler
, and
J.
Wrachtrup
, “
Optical imaging of localized chemical events using programmable diamond quantum nanosensors
,”
Nat. Commun.
8
,
1
9
(
2017
).
12.
B. S.
Miller
,
L.
Bezinge
,
H. D.
Gliddon
,
D.
Huang
,
G.
Dold
,
E. R.
Gray
,
J.
Heaney
,
P. J.
Dobson
,
E.
Nastouli
,
J. J.
Morton
, and
R. A.
McKendry
, “
Spin-enhanced nanodiamond biosensing for ultrasensitive diagnostics
,”
Nature
587
,
588
593
(
2020
).
13.
S.
Haziza
,
N.
Mohan
,
Y.
Loe-Mie
,
A.-M.
Lepagnol-Bestel
,
S.
Massou
,
M.-P.
Adam
,
X. L.
Le
,
J.
Viard
,
C.
Plancon
,
R.
Daudin
et al., “
Fluorescent nanodiamond tracking reveals intraneuronal transport abnormalities induced by brain-disease-related genetic risk factors
,”
Nat. Nanotechnol.
12
,
322
328
(
2017
).
14.
G.
Kucsko
,
P. C.
Maurer
,
N. Y.
Yao
,
M.
Kubo
,
H. J.
Noh
,
P. K.
Lo
,
H.
Park
, and
M. D.
Lukin
, “
Nanometre-scale thermometry in a living cell
,”
Nature
500
,
54
58
(
2013
).
15.
D. A.
Simpson
,
E.
Morrisroe
,
J. M.
McCoey
,
A. H.
Lombard
,
D. C.
Mendis
,
F.
Treussart
,
L. T.
Hall
,
S.
Petrou
, and
L. C.
Hollenberg
, “
Non-neurotoxic nanodiamond probes for intraneuronal temperature mapping
,”
ACS Nano
11
,
12077
12086
(
2017
).
16.
L.
Toraille
,
K.
Aïzel
,
É.
Balloul
,
C.
Vicario
,
C.
Monzel
,
M.
Coppey
,
E.
Secret
,
J.-M.
Siaugue
,
J.
Sampaio
,
S.
Rohart
et al., “
Optical magnetometry of single biocompatible micromagnets for quantitative magnetogenetic and magnetomechanical assays
,”
Nano Lett.
18
,
7635
7641
(
2018
).
17.
S.
Claveau
,
J.-R.
Bertrand
, and
F.
Treussart
, “
Fluorescent nanodiamond applications for cellular process sensing and cell tracking
,”
Micromachines
9
,
247
(
2018
).
18.
L.
Nie
,
A.
Nusantara
,
V.
Damle
,
R.
Sharmin
,
E.
Evans
,
S.
Hemelaar
,
K.
van der Laan
,
R.
Li
,
F. P.
Martinez
,
T.
Vedelaar
,
M.
Chipaux
, and
M.
Schirhagl
, “
Quantum monitoring of cellular metabolic activities in single mitochondria
,”
Sci. Adv.
7
,
eabf0573
(
2021
).
19.
H. C.
Davis
,
P.
Ramesh
,
A.
Bhatnagar
,
A.
Lee-Gosselin
,
J. F.
Barry
,
D. R.
Glenn
,
R. L.
Walsworth
, and
M. G.
Shapiro
, “
Mapping the microscale origins of magnetic resonance image contrast with subcellular diamond magnetometry
,”
Nat. Commun.
9
,
1
9
(
2018
).
20.
K. J.
van der Laan
,
A.
Morita
,
F. P.
Perona-Martinez
, and
R.
Schirhagl
, “
Evaluation of the oxidative stress response of aging yeast cells in response to internalization of fluorescent nanodiamond biosensors
,”
Nanomaterials
10
,
372
(
2020
).
21.
M.
Fujiwara
,
S.
Sun
,
A.
Dohms
,
Y.
Nishimura
,
K.
Suto
,
Y.
Takezawa
,
K.
Oshimi
,
L.
Zhao
,
N.
Sadzak
,
Y.
Umehara
et al., “
Real-time nanodiamond thermometry probing in vivo thermogenic responses
,”
Sci. Adv.
6
,
eaba9636
(
2020
).
22.
L.
Rondin
,
J.-P.
Tetienne
,
T.
Hingant
,
J.-F.
Roch
,
P.
Maletinsky
, and
V.
Jacques
, “
Magnetometry with nitrogen-vacancy defects in diamond
,”
Rep. Prog. Phys.
77
,
056503
(
2014
).
23.
D.
Maclaurin
,
L.
Hall
,
A.
Martin
, and
L.
Hollenberg
, “
Nanoscale magnetometry through quantum control of nitrogen–vacancy centres in rotationally diffusing nanodiamonds
,”
New J. Phys.
15
,
013041
(
2013
).
24.
V. R.
Horowitz
,
B. J.
Alemán
,
D. J.
Christle
,
A. N.
Cleland
, and
D. D.
Awschalom
, “
Electron spin resonance of nitrogen-vacancy centers in optically trapped nanodiamonds
,”
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.
109
,
13493
13497
(
2012
).
25.
F.
Dolde
,
H.
Fedder
,
M. W.
Doherty
,
T.
Nöbauer
,
F.
Rempp
,
G.
Balasubramanian
,
T.
Wolf
,
F.
Reinhard
,
L. C.
Hollenberg
,
F.
Jelezko
, and
J.
Wrachtrup
, “
Electric-field sensing using single diamond spins
,”
Nat. Phys.
7
,
459
463
(
2011
).
26.
T.
Iwasaki
,
W.
Naruki
,
K.
Tahara
,
T.
Makino
,
H.
Kato
,
M.
Ogura
,
D.
Takeuchi
,
S.
Yamasaki
, and
M.
Hatano
, “
Direct nanoscale sensing of the internal electric field in operating semiconductor devices using single electron spins
,”
ACS Nano
11
,
1238
1245
(
2017
).
27.
K.
Bian
,
W.
Zheng
,
X.
Zeng
,
X.
Chen
,
R.
Stöhr
,
A.
Denisenko
,
S.
Yang
,
J.
Wrachtrup
, and
Y.
Jiang
, “
Nanoscale electric-field imaging based on a quantum sensor and its charge-state control under ambient condition
,”
Nat. Commun.
12
,
2457
(
2021
).
28.
P.
Neumann
,
I.
Jakobi
,
F.
Dolde
,
C.
Burk
,
R.
Reuter
,
G.
Waldherr
,
J.
Honert
,
T.
Wolf
,
A.
Brunner
,
J. H.
Shim
et al., “
High-precision nanoscale temperature sensing using single defects in diamond
,”
Nano Lett.
13
,
2738
2742
(
2013
).
29.
M.
Fujiwara
and
Y.
Shikano
, “
Diamond quantum thermometry: From foundations to applications
,”
Nanotechnology
32
,
482002
(
2021
).
30.
N.
Wang
,
G.-Q.
Liu
,
W.-H.
Leong
,
H.
Zeng
,
X.
Feng
,
S.-H.
Li
,
F.
Dolde
,
H.
Fedder
,
J.
Wrachtrup
,
X.-D.
Cui
et al., “
Magnetic criticality enhanced hybrid nanodiamond thermometer under ambient conditions
,”
Phys. Rev. X
8
,
011042
(
2018
).
31.
T.
Fujisaku
,
R.
Tanabe
,
S.
Onoda
,
R.
Kubota
,
T. F.
Segawa
,
F. T.-K.
So
,
T.
Ohshima
,
I.
Hamachi
,
M.
Shirakawa
, and
R.
Igarashi
, “
pH nanosensor using electronic spins in diamond
,”
ACS Nano
13
,
11726
11732
(
2019
).
32.
L.
Nie
,
A. C.
Nusantara
,
V. G.
Damle
,
M. V.
Baranov
,
M.
Chipaux
,
C.
Reyes-San-Martin
,
T.
Hamoh
,
C. P.
Epperla
,
M.
Guricova
,
P.
Cigler
,
G.
van den Bogaart
, and
R.
Schirhagl
, “
Quantum sensing of free radicals in primary human dendritic cells
,”
Nano Lett.
22
,
1818
1825
(
2022
).
33.
R. D.
Allert
,
F.
Bruckmaier
,
N. R.
Neuling
,
F. A.
Freire-Moschovitis
,
K. S.
Liu
,
C.
Schrepel
,
P.
Schätzle
,
P.
Knittel
,
M.
Hermans
, and
D. B.
Bucher
, “
Microfluidic quantum sensing platform for lab-on-a-chip applications
,”
Lab Chip
22
,
4831
4840
(
2022
).
34.
K.
Oshimi
,
Y.
Nishimura
,
T.
Matsubara
,
M.
Tanaka
,
E.
Shikoh
,
L.
Zhao
,
Y.
Zou
,
N.
Komatsu
,
Y.
Ikado
,
Y.
Takezawa
et al., “
Glass-patternable notch-shaped microwave architecture for on-chip spin detection in biological samples
,”
Lab Chip
22
,
2519
2530
(
2022
).
35.
D.
Le Sage
,
L. M.
Pham
,
N.
Bar-Gill
,
C.
Belthangady
,
M. D.
Lukin
,
A.
Yacoby
, and
R. L.
Walsworth
, “
Efficient photon detection from color centers in a diamond optical waveguide
,”
Phys. Rev. B
85
,
121202
(
2012
).
36.
E.
Losero
,
S.
Jagannath
,
M.
Pezzoli
,
V.
Goblot
,
H.
Babashah
,
H. A.
Lashuel
,
C.
Galland
, and
N.
Quack
, “
Neuronal growth on high-aspect-ratio diamond nanopillar arrays for biosensing applications
,”
Sci. Rep.
13
,
5909
(
2023
).
37.
L.
Nie
,
Y.
Zhang
,
L.
Li
,
P.
van Rijn
, and
R.
Schirhagl
, “
pH sensitive dextran coated fluorescent nanodiamonds as a biomarker for hela cells endocytic pathway and increased cellular uptake
,”
Nanomaterials
11
,
1837
(
2021
).
38.
P.
Andrich
,
B. J.
Alemán
,
J. C.
Lee
,
K.
Ohno
,
C. F.
de las Casas
,
F. J.
Heremans
,
E. L.
Hu
, and
D. D.
Awschalom
, “
Engineered micro- and nanoscale diamonds as mobile probes for high-resolution sensing in fluid
,”
Nano Lett.
14
,
4959
4964
(
2014
).
39.
K.
Lim
,
C.
Ropp
,
B.
Shapiro
,
J. M.
Taylor
, and
E.
Waks
, “
Scanning localized magnetic fields in a microfluidic device with a single nitrogen vacancy center
,”
Nano Lett.
15
,
1481
1486
(
2015
).
40.
J.
Smits
,
J. T.
Damron
,
P.
Kehayias
,
A. F.
McDowell
,
N.
Mosavian
,
I.
Fescenko
,
N.
Ristoff
,
A.
Laraoui
,
A.
Jarmola
, and
V. M.
Acosta
, “
Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy with a microfluidic diamond quantum sensor
,”
Sci. Adv.
5
,
eaaw7895
(
2019
).
41.
K. S.
Liu
,
X.
Ma
,
R.
Rizzato
,
A. L.
Semrau
,
A.
Henning
,
I. D.
Sharp
,
R. A.
Fischer
, and
D. B.
Bucher
, “
Using metal-organic frameworks to confine liquid samples for nanoscale NV-NMR
,”
Nano Lett.
22
,
9876
9882
(
2022
).
42.
D. B.
Bucher
,
D. R.
Glenn
,
H.
Park
,
M. D.
Lukin
, and
R. L.
Walsworth
, “
Hyperpolarization-enhanced NMR spectroscopy with femtomole sensitivity using quantum defects in diamond
,”
Phys. Rev. X
10
,
021053
(
2020
).
43.
D. M.
Wilson
,
R. E.
Hurd
,
K.
Keshari
,
M. V.
Criekinge
,
A. P.
Chen
,
S. J.
Nelson
,
D. B.
Vigneron
, and
J.
Kurhanewicz
, “
Generation of hyperpolarized substrates by secondary labeling with [1,1- 13C] acetic anhydride
,”
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.
106
,
5503
5507
(
2009
).
44.
A.
Marshall
,
A.
Salhov
,
M.
Gierse
,
C.
Müller
,
M.
Keim
,
S.
Lucas
,
A.
Parker
,
J.
Scheuer
,
C.
Vassiliou
,
P.
Neumann
,
F.
Jelezko
,
A.
Retzker
,
J. W.
Blanchard
,
I.
Schwartz
, and
S.
Knecht
, “
Radio-frequency sweeps at microtesla fields for parahydrogen-induced polarization of biomolecules
,”
J. Phys. Chem. Lett.
14
,
2125
2132
(
2023
).
45.
A.
Marshall
,
T.
Reisser
,
P.
Rembold
,
C.
Müller
,
J.
Scheuer
,
M.
Gierse
,
T.
Eichhorn
,
J. M.
Steiner
,
P.
Hautle
,
T.
Calarco
,
F.
Jelezko
,
M. B.
Plenio
,
S.
Montangero
,
I.
Schwartz
,
M. M.
Müller
, and
P.
Neumann
, “
Macroscopic hyperpolarization enhanced with quantum optimal control
,”
Phys. Rev. Res.
4
,
043179
(
2022
).
46.
J.-P.
Tetienne
,
L. T.
Hall
,
A. J.
Healey
,
G. A. L.
White
,
M.-A.
Sani
,
F.
Separovic
, and
L. C. L.
Hollenberg
, “
Prospects for nuclear spin hyperpolarization of molecular samples using nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond
,”
Phys. Rev. B
103
,
014434
(
2021
).
47.
F.
Picollo
,
A.
Battiato
,
L.
Boarino
,
S.
Ditalia Tchernij
,
E.
Enrico
,
J.
Forneris
,
A.
Gilardino
,
M.
Jakšić
,
F.
Sardi
,
N.
Skukan
,
A.
Tengattini
,
P.
Olivero
,
A.
Re
, and
E.
Vittone
, “
Fabrication of monolithic microfluidic channels in diamond with ion beam lithography
,”
Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sec. B
404
,
193
197
(
2017
).
48.
S. M.
Eaton
,
J. P.
Hadden
,
V.
Bharadwaj
,
J.
Forneris
,
F.
Picollo
,
F.
Bosia
,
B.
Sotillo
,
A. N.
Giakoumaki
,
O.
Jedrkiewicz
,
A.
Chiappini
,
M.
Ferrari
,
R.
Osellame
,
P. E.
Barclay
,
P.
Olivero
, and
R.
Ramponi
, “
Quantum micro–nano devices fabricated in diamond by femtosecond laser and ion irradiation
,”
Adv. Quantum Technol.
2
,
1900006
(
2019
).
49.
O.
Jedrkiewicz
,
S.
Kumar
,
B.
Sotillo
,
M.
Bollani
,
A.
Chiappini
,
M.
Ferrari
,
R.
Ramponi
,
P. D.
Trapani
, and
S. M.
Eaton
, “
Pulsed Bessel beam-induced microchannels on a diamond surface for versatile microfluidic and sensing applications
,”
Opt. Mater. Express
7
,
1962
1970
(
2017
).
50.
C.
Pin
,
R.
Otsuka
, and
K.
Sasaki
, “
Optical transport and sorting of fluorescent nanodiamonds inside a tapered glass capillary: Optical sorting of nanomaterials at the femtonewton scale
,”
ACS Appl. Nano Mater.
3
,
4127
4134
(
2020
).
51.
A.
Dréau
,
M.
Lesik
,
L.
Rondin
,
P.
Spinicelli
,
O.
Arcizet
,
J.-F.
Roch
, and
V.
Jacques
, “
Avoiding power broadening in optically detected magnetic resonance of single NV defects for enhanced dc magnetic field sensitivity
,”
Phys. Rev. B
84
,
195204
(
2011
).
52.
H.
Clevenson
,
M. E.
Trusheim
,
C.
Teale
,
T.
Schröder
,
D.
Braje
, and
D.
Englund
, “
Broadband magnetometry and temperature sensing with a light-trapping diamond waveguide
,”
Nat. Phys.
11
,
393
397
(
2015
).
53.
Y.-C.
Chen
,
P. S.
Salter
,
S.
Knauer
,
L.
Weng
,
A. C.
Frangeskou
,
C. J.
Stephen
,
S. N.
Ishmael
,
P. R.
Dolan
,
S.
Johnson
,
B. L.
Green
et al., “
Laser writing of coherent colour centres in diamond
,”
Nat. Photonics
11
,
77
80
(
2017
).
54.
Y.
Hatano
,
J.
Shin
,
D.
Nishitani
,
H.
Iwatsuka
,
Y.
Masuyama
,
H.
Sugiyama
,
M.
Ishii
,
S.
Onoda
,
T.
Ohshima
,
K.
Arai
,
T.
Iwasaki
, and
M.
Hatano
, “
Simultaneous thermometry and magnetometry using a fiber-coupled quantum diamond sensor
,”
Appl. Phys. Lett.
118
,
034001
(
2021
).
55.
J. H.
Shim
,
S.-J.
Lee
,
S.
Ghimire
,
J. I.
Hwang
,
K.-G.
Lee
,
K.
Kim
,
M. J.
Turner
,
C. A.
Hart
,
R. L.
Walsworth
, and
S.
Oh
, “
Multiplexed sensing of magnetic field and temperature in real time using a nitrogen-vacancy ensemble in diamond
,”
Phys. Rev. Appl.
17
,
014009
(
2022
).
56.
J. W.
Hart
and
H. S.
Knowles
, “
Multimodal quantum metrology in living systems using nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond nanocrystals
,”
Front. Quantum Sci. Technol.
2
,
1220015
(
2023
).
57.
S.
Castelletto
and
A.
Boretti
, “
Silicon carbide color centers for quantum applications
,”
J. Phys.: Photonics
2
,
022001
(
2020
).
58.
Z.
Jiang
,
H.
Cai
,
R.
Cernansky
,
X.
Liu
, and
W.
Gao
, “
Quantum sensing of radio-frequency signal with NV centers in SiC
,”
Sci. Adv.
9
,
eadg2080
(
2023
).
59.
A.
Gottscholl
,
M.
Diez
,
V.
Soltamov
,
C.
Kasper
,
D.
Krauße
,
A.
Sperlich
,
M.
Kianinia
,
C.
Bradac
,
I.
Aharonovich
, and
V.
Dyakonov
, “
Spin defects in HBN as promising temperature, pressure and magnetic field quantum sensors
,”
Nat. Commun.
12
,
4480
(
2021
).
60.
S.
Vaidya
,
X.
Gao
,
S.
Dikshit
,
I.
Aharonovich
, and
T.
Li
, “
Quantum sensing and imaging with spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride
,”
Adv. Phys.: X
8
,
2206049
(
2023
).
You do not currently have access to this content.