Quantum technology R&D at imo-imomec
Discover the latest achievements and some background links

In short
Because of two recent milestones, we put the spotlights on imo-imomec, an imec research group at Hasselt University (link to the main article can be found at the bottom of this item).
This article highlights a recent Nature Communications publication from their quantum photonics research and provides some background links about the topic.
The team of Milos Nesladek, head of the quantum photonics and technology research at imo-imomec, has a long track record of developing artificial diamonds and using their quantum properties in solid-state quantum systems. Their research, published in Nature Communications, demonstrated a viable approach for a quantum technology platform that operates at room temperature via electrically read electron-nuclear spin quantum gates on a diamond electronic chip. This proof of concept is a first step towards more complex, electrically-read quantum gates for advanced quantum technologies that can benefit from the long nuclear spin coherence in diamond.
Semiconductor spin qubit systems are promising candidates for future quantum technologies, such as quantum computing, telecommunication, and sensing, because of their potential for wide electronic scalability and nanoscale device integration. Nuclear spins in diamonds are particularly interesting because of their large coherence times, which is important for the performance and reliability of complex quantum applications. More precisely, at ambient temperatures, the coherence time is in the range of seconds; when cooled down to around 10K, it even increases to tens of minutes.
Further reading:
- This item is an addition to the main article: Imo-imomec: a hidden gem in materials R&D and related services
Want to know more?
- Most recent paper in Nature Communications: Room-temperature control and electrical readout of individual nitrogen-vacancy nuclear spins | Nature Communications
- 2019 Science paper: Photoelectrical imaging and coherent spin-state readout of single nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond | Science (sciencemag.org)
- Background information in a 2019 imec article: The potential of artificial diamond: from drilling heads to quantum sensors| imec magazine May 2019 (imec-int.com)









