Magnet Free NMR Device

Students at UC Berkeley have developed a way to detect nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) fields without the use of a magnetic field, which could allow future NMR devices to be smaller, cheaper, and safer.

The students were able to eliminate the need for magnets by using a technique known as parahydrogen-induced polarization. This method results in a very large signal enhancement, creating faint magnetic fields. The fields are then measured with an optical atomic magetometer, which, unlike previous low field NMR detectors, requires no refrigeration.

Source: ideaconnection.comAdded: 14 June 2011