Victor Acosta, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Physics & Astronomy, University of New Mexico 

 

2024 Experimental Physics Investigator

Victor Acosta, Ph.D.
Image Credit: Acosta
 

Research Description

Precision measurements of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond form the basis of numerous applications, ranging from imaging nanoscale magnetism to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, gyroscopes (measuring physical rotations), magnetometry (measuring magnetic fields), and searches for new spin physics. Victor Acosta’s team aims to develop methods for precision metrology with nitrogen-vacancy centers that could lead to foundational order-of-magnitude gains in sensitivity.

Dr. Acosta’s team plans to study the use of tricks, originally developed in the atomic clock and magnetic resonance communities, that can suppress the impact of microwave noise; the use of magnetic flux concentrators, with a focus on identifying materials that provide new function and performance; and the energy level dynamics of the nitrogen-vacancy center and develop methods to improve the optical readout of the system.

Research Impact

The primary impact of Dr. Acosta’s research would come from answering two questions: 1. What are the true limits of precision measurement and spectroscopy with nitrogen-vacancy centers, and how can we reach them? 2. How can this knowledge be generalized to the broader field of precision measurement and spectroscopy? Longer term, this research could have an impact on applications in magnetoencephalography (detecting magnetic field produced by neuronal currents in the brain), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy chemical analysis, and maybe even the search for new particles that could explain dark matter.

 
 

related links

Experimental Physics Investigators Initiative Science University of New Mexico, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Center for High Technology Materials Back

Education

PhD, University of California, Berkeley
BS, Augsburg College

Affiliated Investigators