Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is the gold standard for molecular structure determination, underpinning breakthroughs in chemistry, biology, materials science, and medicine. Yet despite its enormous scientific impact, conventional NMR has barely changed in 80 years: it still relies on bulky, high-field magnets and induction coils, making it expensive and inaccessible for many laboratories and applications. Sensitivity remains the key bottleneck, limiting NMR’s reach to only large, concentrated samples. The Quench project addresses this challenge by pioneering a new class of quantum-enhanced NMR spectrometers based on diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers. NV spins offer unprecedented magnetic sensitivity at the nanoscale, and when integrated into benchtop NMR platforms, they promise several orders-of-magnitude improvements in sensitivity. The project integrates four advances to realize this vision: Diamond materials (WP1): Engineer isotopically pure, doped, and oriented NV-rich diamond films with high spin coherence and density. Microwave and RF control (WP2): Develop efficient high-frequency resonators for both small- and large-volume NMR detection. Quantum control (WP3): Implement robust quantum protocols and machine learning strategies to couple NV ensembles with nuclear spins, suppress decoherence, and boost signal extraction. System integration (WP4): Build and validate a quantum-enhanced benchtop NV-NMR spectrometer, scaling detection from picoliter to microliter volumes at Tesla-scale fields.
By merging quantum sensing with mainstream NMR technology, the project will deliver the first generation of compact, high-sensitivity benchtop spectrometers. The impacts are expected to be wide-ranging: Scientific: Fundamental advances in diamond growth, quantum control, and high-frequency device physics will accelerate progress across quantum technologies and spin-based sensing.Technological: Demonstration of μL-scale, high-field NV-NMR will provide a platform for next-generation benchtop spectrometers with record-breaking sensitivity. Societal & industrial: The technology opens access to powerful molecular analysis in contexts where conventional NMR is impractical, enabling transformative applications in quality control, environmental monitoring, drug discovery, medical diagnostics, chemical process monitoring, and materials innovation. The project’s results thus directly address the long-standing sensitivity bottleneck of NMR and pave the way for broad adoption of quantum-enhanced molecular spectroscopy.
