Download PhD position: Dynamic Nuclear Polarization using Electron-Nuclear Double Resonance

PhD position: Dynamic Nuclear Polarization using Electron-Nuclear
Double Resonance
Nuclear magnetic resonance is an amazingly powerful
technique for studying everything from drug molecules to
working human brains. However, many NMR experiments are
limited by the small fraction of nuclei which are spin polarized.
Electrons are more easily polarized but electron paramagnetic
resonance (EPR) is only useful for studying materials with
unpaired electron spins. We are developing the equipment and
techniques for dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) in which
electron spin polarization will be efficiently transferred to
nuclear spins, allowing a wide range of exciting NMR
measurements that would not otherwise be possible.
The N@C60
molecule
Electron spins are more easily polarized because their magnetic moments are
around 1,000 times greater than those of nuclear spins. For the conditions of interest
this provides around 1,000 times more electron spin polarization than nuclear spin
polarization. If we can transfer all of this to the nuclei of interest, their NMR signals
would be enhanced by a factor of 1,000. NMR experiments are commonly left
running for a day or more to increase the signal-to-noise ratio by averaging away the
noise. However, it is necessary to increase the averaging time by a factor of N to
obtain merely a √N increase in the signal-to-noise ratio. This means that if we can
increase the signal by a factor of 1,000 it would correspond to a huge speed up of
the NMR experiment by a factor of 1,000,000.
DNP is currently of great interest to academia as well as industry. Our equipment
uses high magnetic fields, up to 14.1 T, which provides excellent NMR resolution but
introduces problems for the EPR instrumentation. We have demonstrated solutions
to these EPR problems by making use of insights from the field of quantum
computing. In particular we have developed what we believe is the world’s most
precise EPR spectrometer, and are ready to measure the electron-nuclear double
resonance (ENDOR) of N@C60 molecules to demonstrate ENDOR-DNP. Applying
this to useful NMR experiments would be an important breakthrough.
In the course of this work, you will acquire skills in magnetic
resonance technology and cryogenic experiments as well as
an understanding of quantum spin physics. We are looking for
highly motivated people with a strong background in physical
sciences, a love of technology and the desire to work in
teams. We offer you a lab with extraordinary equipment and
the chance to follow up on your own ideas.
For further information contact Gavin Morley ([email protected])