Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy on a (5-nanometer)3 sample volume

Science. 2013 Feb 1;339(6119):561-3. doi: 10.1126/science.1231675.

Abstract

Application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to nanoscale samples has remained an elusive goal, achieved only with great experimental effort at subkelvin temperatures. We demonstrated detection of NMR signals from a (5-nanometer)(3) voxel of various fluid and solid organic samples under ambient conditions. We used an atomic-size magnetic field sensor, a single nitrogen-vacancy defect center, embedded ~7 nanometers under the surface of a bulk diamond to record NMR spectra of various samples placed on the diamond surface. Its detection volume consisted of only 10(4) nuclear spins with a net magnetization of only 10(2) statistically polarized spins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.