A team of researchers at the University of Twente has developed a novel vertical quantum sensor that could help reveal intricate magnetic patterns in quantum materials. These materials have unique properties not found in ordinary materials, such as conducting electricity without resistance or allowing current to flow only along their edges. Such materials are expected to play a key role in the development of future quantum computers and quantum sensors. To improve these materials, scientists need to observe magnetic fields and currents at the nanoscale, which requires highly sensitive detection tools. One such tool is the SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device), a ring-shaped sensor that can detect extremely small magnetic changes. However, SQUIDs face a challenge: magnetic fields weaken quickly with distance, so the sensor must be very close to the material being studied. Traditional SQUID sensors are often placed on a flat chip, which keeps them several micrometers away from the material—too far to capture fine details. To overcome this, researchers at the University of Twente have designed a pyramid-shaped structure that holds the SQUID sensor right at the material’s surface. The pyramid is not built up but is instead etched from a silicon slice using a technique called corner lithography. This method creates a frame of extremely thin wires along the pyramid’s edges. The process, developed by researchers in the Twente group Mesoscale Chemical Systems, allows for precise three-dimensional structures at the nanoscale. The pyramid is then mounted on a thin, flexible arm that scans the material like a record player needle follows a groove. A layer of niobium, a superconducting metal at extremely low temperatures, is added to the wires, and a beam of charged particles carves out two constrictions in the ring to complete the sensor. This sensor operates in magnetic fields up to 1 tesla—roughly 20,000 times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field—where traditional superconducting sensors fail. It also includes four wires, two of which are used for measurement while the other two allow for fine-tuning and additional functionality. Unlike other methods that rely on handcrafted sensors, the Twente team has developed a process that produces hundreds of these sensors simultaneously on a silicon wafer, making them more reliable and scalable. This advancement could significantly speed up research on quantum materials by providing more accessible and versatile tools for scientists.