The invention relates to a method for the hyperpolarization of a material sample (4), which hits a number of first spin moments (10) of a first spin moment type, wherein the number of first spin moments (10) is brought into interaction with a second spin moment (16) of a second spin moment type, wherein the first spin moments (10) are nuclear spin moments and the second spin moment (16) is an election spin moment, wherein the first and second spin moments (10, 16) are exposed to a homogeneous magnetic field (B), wherein the second spin moment (16) is polarized along the magnetic field (B), wherein the second spin moment (16) is coherently manipulated by means of a, preferably repeated, sequence (S) having a number of successive high-frequency pulses (P.sub.ki, P.sub.k′i) temporally offset to each by durations (T.sub.ki, T.sub.k′i, T), in such a way that a polarization transfer from the second spin moment (16) to the first spin moments (10) occurs, and wherein durations (T.sub.ki, T.sub.k′i, T) inversely proportional to a Lamor frequency (ω.sub.Larmor) of the first spin moments (10) in the magnetic field (B) are inserted between high-frequency pulses (P.sub.ki, P.sub.k′i).

A method of hyperpolarizing diamond particles includes applying a laser to a sample of the diamond particles, irradiating the diamond particles with a sweeping microwave to cause diamond polarization, shuttling the diamond particles through a magnetic field to detect .sup.13C nuclei in the diamond particles, and relaying the diamond polarization to nuclear spins to one of a surrounding solid or fluid.

A variety of application can use nuclear magnetic resonance as an investigative tool. Nuclear magnetic resonance measurements can be conducted using a nuclear magnetic resonance microscope. An example nuclear magnetic resonance microscope can comprise a film embedded in a coverslip, where the film is doped with reactive centers that undergo stable fluorescence when illuminated by electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength within a range of wavelengths and a magnetic field generator to provide a magnetic field for nuclear magnetic resonance measurement of analytes when disposed proximal to the film. Microwave striplines on the coverslip can be arranged to generate microwave fields to irradiate the analytes for the nuclear magnetic resonance measurement. Control of the microwave signals on the microwave striplines can be used for dynamic nuclear polarization in the nuclear magnetic resonance measurement of analytes.

Disclosed are methods for performing dynamic nuclear polarization using the polarizing agents described herein. In general, the methods involve (a) providing a frozen sample in a magnetic field, wherein the frozen sample includes a polarizing agent described herein and an analyte with at least one spin half nucleus; (b) polarizing the at least one spin half nucleus of the analyte by irradiating the frozen sample with radiation having a frequency that excites electron spin transitions in the polarizing agent; (c) optionally melting the sample to produce a molten sample; and (d) detecting nuclear spin transitions in the at least one spin half nucleus of the analyte in the frozen or molten sample. In certain embodiments, the polarizing agents can be peptide-based. In these embodiments, the polarizing agents can be readily prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis.

Disclosed are methods for performing dynamic nuclear polarization using the polarizing agents described herein. In general, the methods involve (a) providing a frozen sample in a magnetic field, wherein the frozen sample includes a polarizing agent described herein and an analyte with at least one spin half nucleus; (b) polarizing the at least one spin half nucleus of the analyte by irradiating the frozen sample with radiation having a frequency that excites electron spin transitions in the polarizing agent; (c) optionally melting the sample to produce a molten sample; and (d) detecting nuclear spin transitions in the at least one spin half nucleus of the analyte in the frozen or molten sample. In certain embodiments, the polarizing agents can be peptide-based. In these embodiments, the polarizing agents can be readily prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis.

Systems and methods directed to a quantum processing apparatus are provided. The apparatus comprises M solid-state qubits, where M>1, and control electronics, which are connected to the solid-state qubits. The control electronics comprise one or more qubit readout circuits, where each of the qubit readout circuits is connected to at least one of the solid-state qubits and comprises a downsampling analog-to-digital converter (hereafter DSADC). Each DSADC is configured to downsample analog signals obtained from the at least one of the solid-state qubits. Such a DSADC operates in the n.sup.th Nyquist zone of the spectrum of the analog signals obtained, so as to down-convert such analog signals from the n.sup.th Nyquist zone to the m.sup.th Nyquist zone of the spectrum, where n>m≥1, prior to sampling the analog signals to convert them into digital signals, in operation. One or more embodiments of the invention are further directed to a related method of operating such a quantum processing apparatus.

The nuclear spin hyperpolarization method includes the steps of: irradiating a sample, prepared by doping solid benzoic acid derivative with a pentacene derivative, placed in a space where a static magnetic field is formed by a main magnetic field forming unit, with a laser beam from a laser source; following the light irradiation, irradiating the sample with a microwave from a microwave source while applying a sweeping magnetic field; and after repeating the application of sweeping magnetic field, light irradiation and microwave irradiation, dissolving the benzoic acid derivative in the sample. This enables generation of an aqueous solution containing benzoic acid derivative of which nuclear spins are hyperpolarized.

The nuclear spin hyperpolarization method includes the steps of: irradiating a sample, prepared by doping solid benzoic acid derivative with a pentacene derivative, placed in a space where a static magnetic field is formed by a main magnetic field forming unit, with a laser beam from a laser source; following the light irradiation, irradiating the sample with a microwave from a microwave source while applying a sweeping magnetic field; and after repeating the application of sweeping magnetic field, light irradiation and microwave irradiation, dissolving the benzoic acid derivative in the sample. This enables generation of an aqueous solution containing benzoic acid derivative of which nuclear spins are hyperpolarized.

The present application discloses a sensor system that includes a sensor having a sensor surface, a sample cartridge including one or more flexible membranes and a membrane frame, the membrane frame including one or more openings covered by the one or more flexible membranes defining one or more wells for holding one or more samples, the flexible membrane having a sample side supporting the sample and an opposite sensor side, the sample cartridge being removably insertable in the sensor system such that the sensor side of the flexible membrane is positioned above and faces the sensor surface, a displacement mechanism that can be actuated to displace the flexible membrane toward the sensor surface such that the sample is moved to a position closer to the sensor surface, and an optical imaging system that detects light emitted from the sensor. Disclosed also are a cartridge cassette and a method of use.

Polarizable diamond materials and methods for obtaining nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of samples external to the diamond materials are described. The diamond materials can include .sup.12C, .sup.13C, substitutional nitrogen, and nitrogen vacancy defects in a crystalline lattice, wherein the substitutional nitrogen concentration is between 10 ppm and 200 ppm, the nitrogen vacancy concentration is between 10 ppb and 10 ppm, and the .sup.13C concentration is greater than 1.1% and not more than 25%. Methods for obtaining nuclear magnetic resonance spectra can include optically pumping a diamond material to generate electron spin hyperpolarization in nitrogen vacancy centers, transferring the electron spin hyperpolarization to nuclei of the sample, and generating a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum by applying a magnetic field to the sample, exciting the sample with a radio frequency pulse, and detecting a nuclear magnetic resonance response from the sample.