Quantum‐Grade Nanodiamonds from a Single‐Step, Industrial‐Scale Pressure and Temperature Process

Abstract Nanodiamonds with nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers are a promising workhorse for myriad applications, from quantum sensing to bioimaging. However, despite two decades of extensive research, their use remains limited by the lack of scalable methods to produce quantum‐grade material. While traditional NV‐production methods involve multi‐step irradiation and annealing processes, a fundamentally different approach is presented here based on a single‐step high‐temperature plastic deformation. It enables industrial‐scale yield of high‐quality luminescent nanodiamonds while significantly reducing production time and costs. Utilizing a unique cubic press apparatus capable of reaching higher temperatures and pressures, 50‐nm luminescent nanodiamonds with outstanding optical and spin properties are achieved in a single step from non‐luminescent material. Compared to electron‐irradiated nanodiamonds, i.e., common commercially available material, this method yields NV centers with significantly improved charge stability, T 1 relaxation times approaching 1 ms, and a ≈5‐fold enhancement in optical Rabi contrast. What this streamlined process produces in one week would require more than 40 years by current irradiation and annealing methods. Scalable, quantum‐grade nanodiamonds are thus unlocked, providing the missing link for their widespread adoption.