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Optical widefield nuclear magnetic resonance microscopy.
Karl D Briegel1,2, Nick R von Grafenstein1,2, Julia C Draeger1,2
1Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85748, Garching bei München, Germany.
This study introduces a novel optical widefield NMR microscopy technique using diamond quantum sensors. It enables high-resolution imaging of nuclear magnetic resonance signals across a wide field of view, advancing microscopy capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Sensing
- Microscopy
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Traditional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) faces limitations in real-time, wide-field imaging.
- Capturing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals directly on a camera has been a significant challenge in microscopy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel optical widefield NMR microscopy method.
- To overcome the limitations of conventional NMR imaging by utilizing quantum sensing technology.
Main Methods:
- Employing nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond as quantum sensors to convert NMR signals into optical signals.
- Utilizing a high-speed camera to capture the optically converted NMR signals.
- Demonstrating imaging in microfluidic structures.
Main Results:
- Achieved ~10 μm resolution across a ~235 × 150 μm² area using optical widefield NMR microscopy.
- Each camera pixel recorded a full NMR spectrum, providing rich data on amplitude, phase, magnetic fields, and gradients.
- Successfully imaged NMR signals in microfluidic devices.
Conclusions:
- The developed optical widefield NMR microscopy offers a powerful new tool for multifaceted imaging in physical and life sciences.
- This technique fuses optical microscopy and NMR, enabling detailed, wide-field analysis of minute structures and processes.
- Opens new avenues for advanced imaging applications previously inaccessible with traditional methods.

