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Updated: Sep 10, 2025

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Published on: November 1, 2024
Pulse sequence design for high field NMR with NV centers in dipolarly coupled samples
Carlos Munuera-Javaloy1,2,3, Ander Tobalina4,5,6, Jorge Casanova7,4
1Department of Physical Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Apartado 644, 48080, Bilbao, Spain. carlos.munuera-javaloy@uni-ulm.de.
This study introduces a new method using diamond quantum sensors and synchronized RF/MW pulses to overcome nuclear spin coupling challenges in low-diffusion samples. This enables high-field NMR spectroscopy for solid-state systems with enhanced signal and precision.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Sensing
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy
- Solid-State Physics
Background:
- Diamond-based quantum sensors facilitate microscale NMR by averaging dipolar interactions in fast-moving molecules.
- Low-diffusion samples present challenges for NMR due to persistent dipolar couplings, hindering spectroscopic information extraction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a protocol for scanning nuclear spins in dipolarly-coupled samples using nitrogen-vacancy (NV) ensembles.
- To enable high-field NMR spectroscopy in challenging low-diffusion environments.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a diamond sensor with nitrogen vacancy (NV) ensembles.
- Implemented synchronized radio frequency (RF) and microwave (MW) radiation delivery.
- Operated the protocol at high magnetic fields to enhance sample thermal polarization.
Main Results:
- Successfully eliminated couplings among nuclei in the scanned sample.
- Efficiently extracted target energy-shifts from sample magnetization dynamics.
- Achieved increased NMR signal due to higher thermal polarization at high magnetic fields.
Conclusions:
- The presented protocol enables high-field NMR spectroscopy in dipolarly-coupled, low-diffusion samples.
- The method's precision is limited by the sample's coherence time, allowing accurate energy shift identification in solid-state systems.
- This advancement expands the applicability of diamond quantum sensing for detailed solid-state analysis.
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