Electro-mechano-optical NMR detectionAn international research project led by Kazuyuki Takeda of Kyo

Electro-mechano-optical NMR detectionAn international research project led by Kazuyuki Takeda of Kyoto University and Koji Usami of the University of Tokyo has developed a new method of light detection for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) by up-converting NMR radio-frequency signals into optical signals.This new detection method, appearing in the journal Optica, has the potential to provide more sensitive analysis compared with conventional NMR. Its possible utilization in higher-accuracy chemical analysis, as well as in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology, are also of interest.NMR is a branch of spectroscopy in which scientists measure the spin of an atom’s nucleus in order to determine its identity. Atomic nuclei subjected to a magnetic field induce radio-frequency signals in a detector circuit. Since different atoms cause signals at different frequencies, scientists can use this information to determine the compounds contained in a sample. The most well-known application of this is in MRI-based imagining, such as CT scans.“NMR is a very powerful tool, but its measurements rely on amplification of electrical signals at radio-frequencies. That pulls in extra noise and limits the sensitivity of our measurements,” explains Takeda. “So we developed an experimental NMR system from scratch, which converts radio-frequency signals into optical ones.”Read more. -- source link

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