Nuclear Magnetic resonance auGmented by Nitrogen-vacancy centres and Field versatility

Increasing the sensitivity and resolution of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is of fundamental importance in medicine, chemistry, and physics.

Diamonds with nitrogen-vacancy centres are promising vehicles to provide NMR with unprecedented sensing capabilities at room temperature; however, hitherto employed nitrogen-vacancy NMR systems exhibit sensitivities orders of magnitude away from theoretical limits and impose impractical experimental conditions.

This limitation is largely owing to their limited capability of generating a rapidly changing magnetic field as needed for optimal operation.

This action aims to develop a novel desktop NMR device that boosts the sensitivity and resolution of nitrogen-vacancy based NMR by being capable of switching the field strength and direction orders of magnitude faster than existing setups and without needing to shuttle the sample.

Among others, such disruptive technology could allow detecting diseases much earlier than ever and gaining insight on the functioning of cells at individual molecular level. Importantly, this device would complement the benefits of existing NMR systems at a fraction of their cost and size.

Given the overarching use of NMR in areas such as health, environment and food, this project can have a broad positive impact in the European Research Area.

Having developed a number of novel NMR devices, the experience of the fellow will be of great value and complements with that of Host and Partner supervisors, which are top-flight experts on quantum photonics for nanoparticles and spin polarisation dynamics respectively.

This multidisciplinary nature of the project would provide fertile grounds for extensive knowledge transfer between all the actors.

Importantly, beyond broadening the competences of the fellow in the fast-growing field of quantum sensing, proposed outreach, supervision, and complimentary course activities form a comprehensive training package for the fellow to reach professional maturity.