Exploring Chiral-Induced Spin Selectivity using Nitrogen–Vacancy Centers in Diamond

Spin-dependent and enantioselective interactions between electrons and non-identical mirror-image molecules, described by chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS), enable chiral molecules to polarize spins sans external magnetic fields. This has broad applicability in chemical analysis, spintronics, quantum sciences, and biology. However, advancement in the field is limited by lack of unifying mechanisms and difficulty in detecting spin dynamics in complex systems. New methods are needed to test possible mechanistic roles of magnetic exchange-related effects and spin coherence in CISS. In this talk, the nitrogen–vacancy (NV) center in diamond is introduced as a novel quantum sensing platform to investigate CISS in adsorbed molecules. The optically detected magnetic resonance of NVs can be used to measure localized magnetic fields due to CISS that can arise at chiral molecule–diamond interfaces. Routes are described to overcome sensing limits of shallow NVs, i.e. charge state instability and decoherence, while enabling robust chemical functionalization. Optimizing diamond surface chemistry and optical detection methods provides new avenues toward much needed tests of spin polarization and magnetization resulting from electron transport in chiral molecules.