Quantum Sensing with Spin Defects Beyond Diamond

Roberts, H., Abudayyeh, H., Li, X., Li, X.
June 16, 2025. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsnano.5c00802

Spin defects in solid-state materials offer a platform for quantum sensing that combines the properties of atom-like systems with the scalability, versatility, and technological maturity of semiconductor devices. The past decade has seen increasing interest in host materials beyond diamond which can offer additional functionality and more effectively leverage the advantage of the existing semiconductor ecosystem. This review provides a survey and comparison of spin defects in silicon carbide, hexagonal boron nitride, and gallium nitride with an emphasis on their applications to magnetometry, electrometry, thermometry, and strain sensing. A practical overview of quantum sensing protocols and sensitivity enhancement is provided along with a final discussion of the future direction of the field and remaining challenges.