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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])