Levitating Nanodiamonds Towards a Test of the Quantum Nature of Gravity

Explore cutting-edge quantum physics research in this 19-minute conference talk from the Simons Foundation's Table-Top Experiments PI Meeting. Discover how researchers are levitating nanodiamonds in vacuum to conduct groundbreaking tests of fundamental physics, specifically investigating the quantum nature of gravity. Learn about the creation of nanodiamonds containing single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres with record-breaking spin coherence times, and understand how scientists plan to use spin superpositions to create quantum superpositions of diamond positions using inhomogeneous magnetic fields. Delve into the ambitious MAST-QG (Macroscopic superpositions towards witnessing the quantum nature of gravity) project, which aims to test whether gravitational effects can exist in quantum superposition and potentially entangle two diamonds. Gain insights into this high-risk, high-return experimental approach that could revolutionize our understanding of gravity's quantum properties through innovative table-top experiments that push the boundaries of current fundamental physics research.