We demonstrate a cheap and scalable way to form the biomolecule fumarate (a type of chemical compound) from an enriched form of hydrogen gas, which opens a door to studying metabolism and cell death in vivo via magnetic resonance imaging. The research has been featured in a JACS Spotlight: Hyperpolarized Hydrogen Empowers a New Biomarker Article URL: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.9b10094 […]
7th Annual Workshop on Optically-Pumped Magnetometers (WOPM)
A short video about the last WOPM:
“Quantum technology transforms industry and technology” – Interview with Dr. Arne Wickenbrock
The interview in English is here [1], and here [2] in German. [1] https://www.compamed-tradefair.com/en/Interviews/Interviews/Quantum_technology_transforms_industry_and_technology [2] https://www.compamed.de/cgi-bin/md_compamed/lib/pub/tt.cgi?oid=61285&lang=1&ticket=g_u_e_s_t
Looking into batteries with magnetometers
In the rapidly developing battery technology, is it desirable to determine the quality of battery cells by nondestructive measurements. We demonstrate the use of atomic magnetometry to detect states of battery charge [1]. We do so by creating a map of the weak induced magnetic fields around a Li-ion battery cell as a function of its […]
How neutron skins affect the atomic parity violation effects?
Neutron skin in a nucleus is a measure of the difference between the nucleus’ neutron and proton density root mean square radii. We show how atomic parity-violation effects are affected by neutron skin in isotopes [1]. Specifically, we calculate the effect in isotopes of Cs, Ba, Sm, Dy, Yb, Pb, Fr, and Ra. We conclude […]
Constraints on dark matter couplings are weakened when considering amplitude fluctuations of ultralight bosonic field
An experiment is measuring the amplitude of dark matter field at a certain location and at a certain time. Suppose no dark matter has been detected. Does this mean that there is no dark matter in the corresponding mass range? Not necessarily if the coherence time of the dark matter field is much longer than […]
NV centers for eddy-currents imaging, ZULF magnetometry, and 3D magnetic field
We use nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond to produce pictures based on the magnetic fields created by eddy-currents [1]. Such an approach enables to discriminate different materials according to their conductivity. Our device has a bandwidth of 3.5 MHz and a spatial resolution of 0.3 mm. Then, we use NV centers as the magnetic field […]
Mirrorless lasing in sodium, rubidium, and cesium vapors
In contrast to a common “conventional wisdom” not all lasers have two or more mirrors that make up a laser resonator (a.k.a. laser cavity). In fact, if the gain in the active medium is sufficiently high, only one mirror or even no mirrors at all are required for lasing to occur. The latter case corresponds […]
Single-spin NMR concept proposed
After reviewing briefly the concept of zero magnetic field nuclear magnetic resonance (ZULF NMR), Dmitry Budker describes a recent proposal to use single NV center sensors to measure single nuclear spins in ZULF NMR [1]. References: Extreme nuclear magnetic resonance: zero field, single spins, dark matter…, Dmitry Budker, arXiv:1905.08851 (2019).
Probing superconductivity with diamonds
Diamonds may contain color centers, such as the nitrogen-vacancy centers. With collaborators all over the world, we review the current state of affairs in using such centers to explore the behavior of materials in their superconducting regime [1]. In particular, nitrogen-vacancy centers allow us to perform: * vector magnetometry at a wide range of temperatures […]