NMR/MRI

We pursue novel approaches to NMR and MRI, as well as application of these techniques in both the physical and life sciences. Our current research activities include nano- and micron-scale NMR and MRI using quantum defects in diamond.

In partnership with the group of Matthew Rosen, we developed an open-access, low-magnetic-field human MRI instrument, which allows studies of:

(i) traumatic brain injury (TBI)
(ii) molecular imaging using hyperpolarized nanoparticles and other media created by dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP)
(iii) pulmonary physiology using inhaled hyperpolarized noble gas (3He and 129Xe)

We also investigate the creation and application of novel spin states in biomolecules, such as long-lived nuclear spin singlet states and coherences between singlet and triplet states.

High-Resolution NMR Spectroscopy Using Quantum Diamond Sensors

Left: NV ensemble in diamond serves as a high-spectral-resolution NMR sensor for samples at the scale of a single cell (~10 microns). Right: NV-NMR spectrum of xylene provides chemical information at the micron-scale.

Publications

  • Low-Field J-Coupling Spectroscopy Measured with a Diamond Nitrogen Vacancy Spectrometer. Stephen J. DeVience, John W. Blanchard, Camille G. McDonnell, and Ronald L. Walsworth. arXiv:2610.24815 (2026). PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv
  • Principles and Techniques for Agentic Research in Experimental Physics. Niko R. Reed, Declan M. Daly, Andrew J. Beling, Jordan D. Giandrea, Ronald L. Walsworth, John W. Blanchard, and Daniel Ang. arXiv:2610.17193 (2026). PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv

  • Impedance-Tuned Microwave Loop for Fast, Homogeneous Rabi Oscillations of a Dense Ensemble of NV-Diamond Electronic Spins. Han Sae Jung, Johannes Cremer, Aoyang Zhang, Shuhao Fan, Sangha Kim, Guang Yang, Ronald L. Walsworth, and Donhee Ham. Nano Letters 25, 15566-15571 (2025). link PDF supplement
    BibTeX
    arXiv
  • Prospects for Ultralow-Mass Nuclear Magnetic Resonance using Spin Defects in Hexagonal Boron Nitride. Declan M. Daly, Niko R. Reed, Stephen J. DeVience, Zechuan Yin, Johannes Cremer, Andrew J. Beling, John W. Blanchard, and Ronald L. Walsworth. arXiv:2505.00383v1 (2025). PDF
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    arXiv

  • Quantum diamond microscope for narrowband magnetic imaging with high spatial and spectral resolution. Zechuan Yin, Jiashen Tang, Connor A. Hart, John W. Blanchard, Xinyan Xiang, Saipriya Satyajit, Smriti Bhalerao, Tao Tao, Stephen J. DeVience, and Ronald L. Walsworth. Phys. Rev. Appl. 22, 054050 (2024). link PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv
  • Roadmap on nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging. Raffi Budakian, Amit Finkler, Alexander Eichler, Martino Poggio, Christian L Degen, Sahand Tabatabaei, Inhee Lee, P Chris Hammel, S Polzik Eugene, Tim H Taminiau, Ronald L Walsworth, Paz London, Ania Bleszynski Jayich, Ashok Ajoy, Arjun Pillai, Jörg Wrachtrup, Fedor Jelezko, Yujeong Bae, Andreas J Heinrich, Christian R Ast, Patrice Bertet, Paola Cappellaro, Cristian Bonato, Yoann Altmann, and Erik Gauger. Nanotechnology 35, 412001 (2024). link PDF
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    arXiv
  • Nutation-based longitudinal-sensing protocols for high-field NMR with nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond. Declan Daly, Stephen J. DeVience, Emma Huckestein, John W. Blanchard, Johannes Cremer, and Ronald L. Walsworth. Phys. Rev. Appl. 22, 024043 (2024). link PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv

  • Quantum Logic Enhanced Sensing in Solid-State Spin Ensembles. Nithya Arunkumar, Kevin S. Olsson, Jner Tzern Oon, Connor A. Hart, Dominik B. Bucher, David R. Glenn, Mikhail D. Lukin, Hongkun Park, Donhee Ham, and Ronald L. Walsworth. Phys. Rev. Lett. 131, 100801 (2023). link PDF supplement
    BibTeX
    arXiv
  • Quantum sensors for biomedical applications. Nabeel Aslam, Hengyun Zhou, Elana K. Urbach, Matthew J. Turner, Ronald L. Walsworth, Mikhail D. Lukin, and Hongkun Park. Nature Reviews Physics (2023). link PDF
    BibTeX

  • NMR of ^31P nuclear spin singlet states in organic diphosphates. Stephen J. DeVience, Ronald L. Walsworth, and Matthew S. Rosen. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 333, 107101 (2021). link PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv
  • Micron-Scale NV-NMR Spectroscopy with Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange. Nithya Arunkumar, Dominik B. Bucher, Matthew J. Turner, Patrick TomHon, David Glenn, Sören Lehmkuhl, Mikhail D. Lukin, Hongkun Park, Matthew S. Rosen, Thomas Theis, and Ronald L. Walsworth. PRX Quantum 2, 010305 (2021). link PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv

  • Hyperpolarization-Enhanced NMR Spectroscopy with Femtomole Sensitivity Using Quantum Defects in Diamond. Dominik B. Bucher, David R. Glenn, Hongkun Park, Mikhail D. Lukin, and Ronald L. Walsworth. Physical Review X 10, 021053 (2020). link PDF supplement
    BibTeX
    arXiv
  • Micron-scale SABRE-enhanced NV-NMR Spectroscopy. Nithya Arunkumar, Dominik B. Bucher, Matthew J. Turner, Patrick TomHon, David Glenn, Soren Lehmkuhl, Mikhail D. Lukin, Hongkun Park, Matthew S. Rosen, Thomas Theis, and Ronald L. Walsworth. arXiv:2006.03910 (2020). PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv

  • Quantum diamond spectrometer for nanoscale NMR and ESR spectroscopy. Dominik B. Bucher, Diana P. L. Aude Craik, Mikael P. Backlund, Matthew J. Turner, Oren Ben Dor, David R. Glenn, and Ronald L. Walsworth. Nature Protocols 14, 2707–2747 (2019). link PDF
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    arXiv

  • High-resolution magnetic resonance spectroscopy using a solid-state spin sensor. David R. Glenn, Dominik B. Bucher, Junghyun Lee, Mikhail D. Lukin, Hongkun Park, and Ronald L. Walsworth. Nature 555, 351–354 (2018). link PDF supplement
    BibTeX
    arXiv
  • Mapping the microscale origins of magnetic resonance image contrast with subcellular diamond magnetometry. Hunter C. Davis, Pradeep Ramesh, Aadyot Bhatnagar, Audrey Lee-Gosselin, John F. Barry, David R. Glenn, Ronald L. Walsworth, and Mikhail G. Shapiro. Nature Communications 9, 131 (2018). link PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv

  • Nanodiamond-enhanced MRI via in situ hyperpolarization. David E. J. Waddington, Mathieu Sarracanie, Huiliang Zhang, Najat Salameh, David R. Glenn, Ewa Rej, Torsten Gaebel, Thomas Boele, Ronald L. Walsworth, David J. Reilly, and Matthew S. Rosen. Nature Communications 8, 15118 (2017). link PDF supplement
    BibTeX

  • Nuclear magnetic resonance detection and spectroscopy of single proteins using quantum logic. I. Lovchinsky, A. O. Sushkov, E. Urbach, N. P. de Leon, S. Choi, K. De Greve, R. Evans, R. Gertner, E. Bersin, C. Müller, L. McGuinness, F. Jelezko, R. L. Walsworth, H. Park, and M. D. Lukin. Science 351, 836–841 (2016). link PDF supplement
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  • NMR technique for determining the depth of shallow nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond. Linh M. Pham, Stephen J. DeVience, Francesco Casola, Igor Lovchinsky, Alexander O. Sushkov, Eric Bersin, Junghyun Lee, Elana Urbach, Paola Cappellaro, Hongkun Park, Amir Yacoby, Mikhail Lukin, and Ronald L. Walsworth. Physical Review B 93, 045425 (2016). link PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv
  • Probing scalar coupling differences via long-lived singlet states. Stephen J. DeVience, Ronald L. Walsworth, and Matthew S. Rosen. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 262, 42–49 (2016). link PDF supplement
    BibTeX
    arXiv

  • Nanoscale NMR spectroscopy and imaging of multiple nuclear species. Stephen J. DeVience, Linh M. Pham, Igor Lovchinsky, Alexander O. Sushkov, Nir Bar-Gill, Chinmay Belthangady, Francesco Casola, Madeleine Corbett, Huiliang Zhang, Mikhail Lukin, Hongkun Park, Amir Yacoby, and Ronald L. Walsworth. Nature Nanotechnology 10, 129–134 (2015). link PDF supplement
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    arXiv

  • Magnetic Resonance Detection of Individual Proton Spins Using Quantum Reporters. A.O. Sushkov, I. Lovchinsky, N. Chisholm, R.L. Walsworth, H. Park, and M.D. Lukin. Physical Review Letters 113, 197601 (2014). link PDF
    BibTeX
  • Subnanometre resolution in three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging of individual dark spins. M. S. Grinolds, M. Warner, K. De Greve, Y. Dovzhenko, L. Thiel, R. L. Walsworth, S. Hong, P. Maletinsky, and A. Yacoby. Nature Nanotechnology 9, 279–284 (2014). link PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv

  • Preparation of Nuclear Spin Singlet States Using Spin-Lock Induced Crossing. Stephen J. DeVience, Ronald L. Walsworth, and Matthew S. Rosen. Physical Review Letters 111, 173002 (2013). link PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv
  • Nuclear spin singlet states as a contrast mechanism for NMR spectroscopy. Stephen J. DeVience, Ronald L. Walsworth, and Matthew S. Rosen. NMR in Biomedicine 26, 1204–1212 (2013). link PDF
    BibTeX

  • Dependence of nuclear spin singlet lifetimes on RF spin-locking power. Stephen J. DeVience, Ronald L. Walsworth, and Matthew S. Rosen. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 218, 5–10 (2012). link PDF supplement
    BibTeX
    arXiv

  • Quantum control of proximal spins using nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging. M. S. Grinolds, P. Maletinsky, S. Hong, M. D. Lukin, R. L. Walsworth, and A. Yacoby. Nature Physics 7, 687–692 (2011). link PDF supplement
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    arXiv

  • Silicon Nanoparticles as Hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance Imaging Agents. Jacob W. Aptekar, Maja C. Cassidy, Alexander C. Johnson, Robert A. Barton, Menyoung Lee, Alexander C. Ogier, Chinh Vo, Melis N. Anahtar, Yin Ren, Sangeeta N. Bhatia, Chandrasekhar Ramanathan, David G. Cory, Alison L. Hill, Ross W. Mair, Matthew S. Rosen, Ronald L. Walsworth, and Charles M. Marcus. ACS Nano 3, 4003–4008 (2009). link PDF supplement
    BibTeX
    arXiv

  • An open-access, very-low-field MRI system for posture-dependent 3He human lung imaging. L. L. Tsai, R. W. Mair, M. S. Rosen, S. Patz, and R. L. Walsworth. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 193, 274–285 (2008). link PDF
    BibTeX
  • Posture-Dependent Human 3He Lung Imaging in an Open Access MRI System: Initial Results. L. L. Tsai, R. W. Mair, C.-H. Li, M. S. Rosen, S. Patz, and R. L. Walsworth. Academic Radiology 15, 728–739 (2008). link PDF
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  • NMR measurements of grain and gas motion in a gas-fluidized granular bed. D. Candela, C. Huan, K. Facto, R. Wang, R. W. Mair, and R. L. Walsworth. Granular Matter 9, 331–335 (2007). link PDF
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  • Understanding the breakdown of Fourier's law in granular fluids. D. Candela and R. L. Walsworth. American Journal of Physics 75, 754–757 (2007). link PDF
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  • Noninvasive Measurements of Gas Exchange in a Three-Dimensional Fluidized Bed by Hyperpolarized 129Xe NMR. T. Pavlin, R. Wang, R. McGorty, M. S. Rosen, D. G. Cory, D. Candela, R. W. Mair, and R. L. Walsworth. Applied Magnetic Resonance 32, 93–112 (2007). link PDF
    BibTeX

  • A system for open-access 3He human lung imaging at very low field. I. C. Ruset, L. L. Tsai, R. W. Mair, S. Patz, M. I. Hrovat, M. S. Rosen, I. Muradian, J. Ng, G. P. Topulos, J. P. Butler, R. L. Walsworth, and F. W. Hersman. Concepts in Magnetic Resonance Part B: Magnetic Resonance Engineering 29B, 210–221 (2006). link PDF
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  • Study of gas-fluidization dynamics with laser-polarized 129Xe. Ruopeng Wang, Matthew Scott Rosen, Donald Candela, Ross William Mair, and Ronald Lee Walsworth. Magnetic Resonance Imaging 23, 203–207 (2005). link PDF
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  • Xenon NMR measurements of permeability and tortuosity in reservoir rocks. Ruopeng Wang, Tina Pavlin, Matthew Scott Rosen, Ross William Mair, David G. Cory, and Ronald Lee Walsworth. Magnetic Resonance Imaging 23, 329–331 (2005). link PDF
    BibTeX

  • Simultaneous measurement of rock permeability and effective porosity using laser-polarized noble gas NMR. R. Wang, R. W. Mair, M. S. Rosen, D. G. Cory, and R. L. Walsworth. Physical Review E 70, 026312 (2004). link PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv
  • NMR experiments on a three-dimensional vibrofluidized granular medium. Chao Huan, Xiaoyu Yang, D. Candela, R. W. Mair, and R. L. Walsworth. Physical Review E 69, 041302 (2004). link PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv

  • Applications of controlled-flow laser-polarized xenon gas to porous and granular media study. R. W. Mair, R. Wang, M. S. Rosen, D. Candela, D. G. Cory, and R. L. Walsworth. Magnetic Resonance Imaging 21, 287–292 (2003). link PDF
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  • Diffusion NMR methods applied to xenon gas for materials study. R. W. Mair, M. S. Rosen, R. Wang, D. G. Cory, and R. L. Walsworth. Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry 40, S29–S39 (2002). link PDF
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  • The Narrow Pulse Approximation and Long Length Scale Determination in Xenon Gas Diffusion NMR Studies of Model Porous Media. R. W. Mair, P. N. Sen, M. D. Hürlimann, S. Patz, D. G. Cory, and R. L. Walsworth. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 156, 202–212 (2002). link PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv
  • Novel MRI applications of laser-polarized noble gases. R. W. Mair and R. L. Walsworth. Applied Magnetic Resonance 22, 159 (2002). link
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  • Measuring surface-area-to-volume ratios in soft porous materials using laser-polarized xenon interphase exchange nuclear magnetic resonance. J. P. Butler, R. W. Mair, D. Hoffmann, M. I. Hrovat, R. A. Rogers, G. P. Topulos, R. L. Walsworth, and S. Patz. Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter 14, L297–304 (2002). link PDF
    BibTeX
    arXiv
  • Phase coherence and control of stored photonic information. A. Mair, J. Hager, D. F. Phillips, R. L. Walsworth, and M. D. Lukin. Physical Review A 65, 031802 (2002). link PDF
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    arXiv
  • Measurements of Grain Motion in a Dense, Three-Dimensional Granular Fluid. Xiaoyu Yang, Chao Huan, D. Candela, R. W. Mair, and R. L. Walsworth. Physical Review Letters 88, 044301 (2002). link PDF
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    arXiv

  • Measurement of Persistence in 1D Diffusion. Glenn P. Wong, Ross W. Mair, Ronald L. Walsworth, and David G. Cory. Physical Review Letters 86, 4156–4159 (2001). link PDF
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    arXiv
  • Tortuosity measurement and the effects of finite pulse widths on xenon gas diffusion NMR studies of porous media. R. W. Mair, M. D. Hürlimann, P. N. Sen, L. M. Schwartz, S. Patz, and R. L. Walsworth. Magnetic Resonance Imaging 19, 345–351 (2001). link PDF
    BibTeX

  • Reduced xenon diffusion for quantitative lung study - the role of SF6. Ross W. Mair, Dominik Hoffmann, Sameer A. Sheth, Glenn P. Wong, James P. Butler, Samuel Patz, George P. Topulos, and Ronald L. Walsworth. NMR in Biomedicine 13, 229–233 (2000). link PDF
    BibTeX
  • Magnetic resonance imaging of convection in laser-polarized xenon. R. W. Mair, C. H. Tseng, G. P. Wong, D. G. Cory, and R. L. Walsworth. Physical Review E 61, 2741–2748 (2000). link PDF
    BibTeX

  • A System for Low Field Imaging of Laser-Polarized Noble Gas. G. P. Wong, C. H. Tseng, V. R. Pomeroy, R. W. Mair, D. P. Hinton, D. Hoffmann, R. E. Stoner, F. W. Hersman, D. G. Cory, and R. L. Walsworth. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 141, 217–227 (1999). link PDF
    BibTeX
  • Probing Porous Media with Gas Diffusion NMR. R. W. Mair, G. P. Wong, D. Hoffmann, M. D. Hürlimann, S. Patz, L. M. Schwartz, and R. L. Walsworth. Physical Review Letters 83, 3324–3327 (1999). link PDF
    BibTeX
  • Single-Shot Diffusion Measurement in Laser-Polarized Gas. Sharon Peled, Ching-Hua Tseng, Aaron A. Sodickson, Ross W. Mair, Ronald L. Walsworth, and David G. Cory. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 140, 320–324 (1999). link PDF
    BibTeX
  • Magnetic resonance imaging of laser polarized liquid xenon. C. H. Tseng, R. W. Mair, G. P. Wong, D. Williamson, D. G. Cory, and R. L. Walsworth. Physical Review E 59, 1785–1788 (1999). link PDF
    BibTeX

  • Pulsed-field-gradient measurements of time-dependent gas diffusion. R. W. Mair, D. G. Cory, S. Peled, C. H. Tseng, S. Patz, and R. L. Walsworth. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 135, 478–486 (1998). link PDF
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  • Low-field MRI of laser polarized noble gas. C. H. Tseng, G. P. Wong, V. R. Pomeroy, R. W. Mair, D. P. Hinton, D. Hoffmann, R. E. Stoner, F. W. Hersman, D. G. Cory, and R. L. Walsworth. Physical Review Letters 81, 3785–3788 (1998). link PDF
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  • NMR of laser-polarized 129Xe in blood foam. C. H. Tseng, S. Peled, L. Nascimben, E. Oteiza, R. L. Walsworth, and F. A. Jolesz. Journal of Magnetic Resonance 126, 79–86 (1997). link PDF
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  • Gradient-echo imaging considerations for hyperpolarized 129Xe MR. L. Zhao, R. Mulkern, C. H. Tseng, D. Williamson, S. Patz, R. Kraft, R. L. Walsworth, F. A. Jolesz, and M. S. Albert. Journal of Magnetic Resonance. Series B 113, 179–183 (1996). PDF
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  • Determinants of tissue delivery for 129Xe magnetic resonance in humans. S. Peled, F. A. Jolesz, C. H. Tseng, L. Nascimben, M. S. Albert, and R. L. Walsworth. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 36, 340–344 (1996). link
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  • Temporal dynamics of hyperpolarized 129Xe resonances in living rats. K. Sakai, A. M. Bilek, E. Oteiza, R. L. Walsworth, D. Balamore, F. A. Jolesz, and M. S. Albert. Journal of Magnetic Resonance. Series B 111, 300–304 (1996). link PDF
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  • Hyperpolarized 129Xe MR imaging of the oral cavity. M. S. Albert, C. H. Tseng, D. Williamson, E. R. Oteiza, R. L. Walsworth, B. Kraft, D. Kacher, B. L. Holman, and F. A. Jolesz. Journal of Magnetic Resonance. Series B 111, 204–207 (1996). link PDF
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