Scientists at Harvard create world’s smallest radio out of diamond imperfections

Harvard scientists have created the world’s smallest radio receiver out of diamond imperfections called nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres. The NV centers are capable of emitting single photons or detect very weak magnetic fields. When the NV centers receive radio waves it will convert them and emit the audio signal as red light. A common photodiode will convert that into a current and then to sound with the help of a speaker or headphone. The strong magnetic field created around the diamond by the electromagnet is used to change the radio station and to tune the receiving frequency of the NV centers.

The radio will work anywhere from a space probe to a pacemaker in a human heart. The building blocks of the tiny radio are atomic-scale defects in pink diamonds. The radio is biocompatible and is capable of withstanding extremely harsh environments as it is made up of diamond.

A Radio has 5 basic components- power source, receiver, transducer (converts high frequency electromagnetic signal to low frequency current), speaker or headphones and tuner.