Nanodiamonds (NDs) hold great promise for applications in biology and quantum sensing, but their effectiveness is often hampered by surface imperfections. Researchers explored using non-thermal plasma (NTP) to improve ND surfaces. By treating NDs in different gas atmospheres (air, O2, He, H2), they discovered that hydrogen plasma was particularly effective. This treatment increased the presence of beneficial hydrogen and hydroxyl groups on the ND surface, leading to significant improvements in their quantum properties. Specifically, the treated NDs exhibited enhanced electron spin relaxation and coherence times, making them better suited for advanced quantum sensing applications. This breakthrough suggests that NTP, especially with hydrogen, is a promising technique for optimizing nanodiamonds.

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