Enhancing polarization transfer from nitrogen-vacancy centers to external nuclear spins via dangling bond mediators

The use of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond as a non-invasive platform for hyperpolarizing nuclear spins in molecular samples is a promising area of research with the potential to enhance the sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. Transferring NV polarization out of the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Communications physics 2024-01, Vol.7 (1), p.42-10, Article 42
Main Authors: Espinós, Hilario, Munuera-Javaloy, Carlos, Panadero, Iván, Acedo, Pablo, Puebla, Ricardo, Casanova, Jorge, Torrontegui, Erik
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
639/766/483
639/766/483/1139
639/766/483/1255
Defects
Diamonds
Nitrogen
NMR
Nuclear magnetic resonance
Physics
Physics and Astronomy
Polarization
Sensitivity enhancement
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Summary:The use of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond as a non-invasive platform for hyperpolarizing nuclear spins in molecular samples is a promising area of research with the potential to enhance the sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. Transferring NV polarization out of the diamond structure has been achieved on nanoscale targets using dynamical nuclear polarization methods, but extending this polarization transfer to relevant NMR volumes poses significant challenges. One major technical hurdle is the presence of paramagnetic defects in the diamond surface which interfere with polarization outflow. However, these defects can be harnessed as intermediaries for the interaction between NVs and nuclear spins. We present a method that benefits from existing microwave sequences, namely the PulsePol, to transfer polarization efficiently and robustly using dangling bonds or other localized electronic spins, with the potential to increase polarization rates under realistic conditions. The use of nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in diamond is a powerful approach for quantum sensing and can enhance the sensitivity of other techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Here, the authors present a dynamic nuclear polarization technique, which enhances the efficiency of polarisation transfer from the NV centre at volumes suitable for NMR without being disrupted by other defects within the diamond.
ISSN:2399-3650
2399-3650
DOI:10.1038/s42005-024-01536-6