Quantum sensing leveraging quantum criticality

We present the results of classical simulations of quantum criticality-enhanced quantum sensors. As a physical system approaches a second order phase transition it experiences large thermal fluctuations, and susceptibilities (e.g. magnetic susceptibility) diverge according to emergent universal scaling laws. In the limit of zero temperature there are quantum phase transitions, an analogous phenomenon driven by quantum—rather than thermal—fluctuations. In recent years, the ability to control matter at the quantum scale has led to rapid developments in quantum sensors. There are a number of theoretical proposals to leverage the diverging susceptibilities near quantum critical points to enhance sensitivity, but it remains largely unclear whether the enhancements can be realized in practical devices that necessarily exist at finite temperature and finite size. We test proposals for quantum criticality-enhanced sensors to determine if their enhanced sensitivity survives when subjected to realistic environmental conditions.

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