Quantum Sensors for Fundamental Physics

Quantum sensors are opening new avenues in fundamental physics by enabling measurements of extremely small energy depositions with unprecedented precision. Cryogenic detector technologies provide access to the eV-scale energy regime and therefore to rare and weakly interacting processes. This makes them particularly interesting for fundamental neutrino physics, where tiny signals can reveal new aspects of neutrino interactions. Coherent elastic neutrino–nucleus scattering (CEvNS), offers a unique low-energy probe of neutrino interactions and enables a dramatic miniaturization of neutrino detectors. The NUCLEUS experiment aims to exploit CEvNS using cryogenic detectors at the gram (!) scale. In this talk, I will introduce the quantum-sensor concept behind NUCLEUS, discuss its potential for fundamental neutrino physics, and report on recent results as well as possible technological applications beyond basic research.