Dr. Jitendra Singh Inaugurates Liquid Helium Facility In Quantum Research Laboratories At IIT Bombay

Mumbai, Nov 25 (KNN) Union Minister of State for Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh on Monday inaugurated IIT Bombay’s new Liquid Helium Facility. 

He reviewed several indigenous quantum technologies developed at the institute, marking a significant boost to India’s deep-tech and cryogenics capabilities.

During his visit to the Quantum Research Laboratories, the Minister was briefed on several homegrown innovations, including QMagPI, India’s first portable quantum magnetometer capable of detecting ultra-low magnetic fields at the nanotesla scale. 

Developed using nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond, the device is designed for applications in strategic research, mineral exploration, defence technology, and precision instrumentation.

He also reviewed IIT Bombay’s Quantum Diamond Microscope (QDM), which allows nanoscale, 3D magnetic field imaging and supports research in neuroscience, electronics, materials science, and semiconductor diagnostics. Its integrated AI/ML tools further boost imaging precision and analysis.

The Minister examined the Q-Confocal microscope, a quantum-enabled biomedical imaging platform that uses NV centers in nanodiamonds to detect intracellular changes. 

Researchers say the tool can help identify disease-linked markers, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), offering potential applications in early cancer diagnostics.

Following the lab visit, Dr. Singh inaugurated the Liquid Helium Facility, noting that it will significantly reduce the cost of cryogenic experiments and support national research in superconductivity, quantum computing, advanced materials and healthcare technology. 

Equipped with a helium recovery system, the facility will be accessible to industry, academia and research institutions across the country.

He said robust cryogenic infrastructure is crucial for India’s growing quantum computing efforts, which depend on ultra-low-temperature systems like dilution refrigerators. The Minister also called for stronger collaboration to scale up indigenous cryogenic technologies.

Dr. Singh said the advancements at IIT Bombay reflect India’s growing capabilities in frontier technologies and align with the government’s vision of building a self-reliant deep-tech ecosystem. 

(KNN Bureau)