Positionally precise functionalization of shallow luminescent centers through forster resonant energy transfer (fret) driven surface photochemistry

Abstract

Disclosed is an enabling process for high throughput manufacturing of large variety of chemical and biological sensors that utilize well-developed spin-based sensing of analyte binding. A method for producing a nanometer scale analyte specific sensor may be provided, that includes providing a first material (such as a diamond) having a luminescent center (such as an NV center) within predetermined distance (such as 2-5 nm) of a first surface, where the luminescent center configured to emit within an optical emission range, providing photochemically active molecules (such as molecules with a photo-uncaging protective group) where an optical absorption range of the photochemically active molecules at least partially overlaps the optical emission range, coating the first surface of the first material with the photochemically active molecules, and may include placement of the photochemically active surface molecule within a distance smaller than the Forster Resonant Excitation Transfer (i.e., 2-10 nm) from a luminescent center.