India’s first domestic Quantum Diamond Microscope is developed by IIT Bombay

India’s first domestic Quantum Diamond Microscope (QDM) for dynamic magnetic field imaging was created by a team at IIT Bombay under the National Quantum Mission (NQM). According to the government, this development represents a significant advancement in quantum sensing. According to an official statement, QDM, which was unveiled on the fringes of the Emerging Science Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC 2025), can map magnetic fields in three-dimensional layers within an encased semiconductor chip. It has also earned India its first patent in this field. The P-P-P-Quest Group at IIT Bombay created the QDM as part of the Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) National Quantum Mission (NQM).

It functions as a potent platform for nanoscale three-dimensional magnetic field imaging and is based on nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond. QDM provides a route toward direct, high-resolution 3D magnetic mapping of integrated circuits, batteries, and microelectronic devices, according to the Ministry of Science & Technology, which identified the use cases. By measuring the magnetic field in three-dimensional layers inside an encapsulated chip, the QDM can revolutionize the non-destructive examination of semiconductor chips and has tremendous possibilities in neuroscience and materials research.

Optical readout of local magnetic fields is made possible by their spin-dependent fluorescence, which is detected via optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR). It also stated that QDM allows widefield imaging of dynamic magnetic activity, similar to an optical microscope, by creating a thin diamond layer with high NV density. In order to facilitate enhanced chip diagnostics, biological imaging, and geological magnetization research, the team also intends to create a quantum imaging platform that combines QDM with AI/ML-based computational imaging.