Faculty Candidate Lecture: Peter Maurer (Stanford University)

February 8, 2018 - 9:00pm to 10:00pm

Title: Quantum sensing in a new single-molecule regime

Abstract: Quantum optics has had a profound impact on precision measurements, and recently enabled probing various physical quantities, such as magnetic fields and temperature, with nanoscale spatial resolution. Such advancements in ‘quantum sensing’ have brought the elusive dream of performing nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) on individual biomolecules closer to reality. In my talk, I will discuss the development and application of novel quantum metrological technologies to study biological systems at a single-molecule level. I will start with a general introduction to quantum sensing, with a focus on the measurement of magnetic fields at a nanoscale. I will then show how we utilize such sensing techniques to control the temperature profile in living systems with subcellular resolution. Finally, I will provide an outlook on how quantum sensing and single-molecule biophysics can be utilized to perform NMR spectroscopy with unprecedented sensitivity, possibly down to the level of individual biomolecules.

Location and Address

321 Allen Hall