Advances in nano- and microscale NMR spectroscopy using diamond quantum sensors

Abstract

Quantum technologies have seen a rapid developmental surge over the last couple of years. Though often overshadowed by quantum computation, quantum sensors show tremendous potential for widespread applications in chemistry and biology. One system stands out in particular: the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond, an atomic-sized sensor allowing the detection of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals at unprecedented length scales down to a single proton. In this article, we review the fundamentals of NV center-based quantum sensing and its distinct impact on nano- and microscale NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, we highlight possible future applications of this novel technology ranging from energy research, materials science, to single-cell biology, and discuss the associated challenges of these rapidly developing NMR sensors.