Optical Quantum NMR Sensing for Low-Level Signal Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensing devices face challenges in accurately detecting low-level NMR signals due to noise interference from amplifier circuits, making it difficult to achieve high resolution.
Innovation Solution
The device employs a nuclear magnetic resonance sensing part that generates an observation signal with a frequency shifted from the RF signal, uses a mixer part for intermediate frequency demodulation, a low-pass filter to attenuate high-frequency components, and a digitizing device with an optical quantum sensor part to convert light signals into electrical signals for accurate detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If an amplifier circuit such as a preamplifier is provided to amplify the observation signal, then the signal level is improved, but noise being peculiar to the amplifier circuit is superposed on the observation signal and the NMR signal, causing low-level NMR signals to be buried in noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the amplifier circuit from the NMR sensing device. By eliminating the preamplifier that introduces noise, the system achieves low-level NMR signal detection without amplifier-related noise interference, directly resolving the contradiction between signal amplification and noise introduction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional electrical amplifier-based signal detection system with an optical quantum sensing system. The optical quantum sensor uses quantum operations on sensing members (such as nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond) to detect NMR signals optically, substituting electrical amplification with quantum optical detection that does not introduce amplifier noise
2Device complexity
If conventional electrical detection methods are used, then the device structure is simple, but it is difficult to accurately detect low-level NMR signals due to noise floor limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional electrical detection methods with optical quantum sensing. The optical quantum sensor part performs quantum operations with respect to sensing members to detect magnetic fields or electric fields corresponding to NMR signals, achieving superior measurement precision for low-level signals while maintaining reasonable device complexity through modular integration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameter regime from electrical voltage/amplitude detection to optical quantum state detection. By using quantum operations on sensing members and detecting optical signals, the system accesses a different physical parameter space that enables detection of signals below the noise floor of conventional electrical amplifiers
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for the accurate detection of low-level NMR signals with high resolution by minimizing noise interference and enhancing signal sensitivity.
Implementation Method 1
The optical quantum sensor part performs a quantum operation with respect to the sensing member and causes the sensing member to generate the light corresponding to the magnetic field or the electric field
Implementation Method 2
generates light corresponding to the magnetic field or the electric field by a sensing member and converts the light into an electrical signal as a sensor signal by a photoelectric element
Implementation Method 3
makes nuclear magnetization resonate by applying a high frequency magnetic field based on an RF (Radio Frequency) signal having a frequency close to a precession frequency with a high frequency coil 311
Implementation Method 4
a low-pass filter that attenuates a high frequency band component among two band components obtained by the intermediate frequency demodulation of the intermediate frequency demodulation signal and passes a low frequency band component
Data Source
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AI summary
A nuclear magnetic resonance sensing part 1 applies a high frequency magnetic field based on an RF signal to a target object and generates an observation signal with a frequency that is shifted from a frequency of the RF signal by a frequency of an NMR signal. A mixer part 6 generates an IF demodulation signal including the NMR signal. A low-pass filter 7 passes a low frequency component of the IF demodulation signal. In a digitizing device 21, a physical field generator generates a magnetic field and so on corresponding to the IF demodulation signal that has passed through the low-pass filter 7, an optical quantum sensor part generates light corresponding to the magnetic field and so on by a sensing member and converts the light into a sensor signal by a photoelectric element, and an analog/digital converter digitizes the sensor signal. The optical quantum sensor part performs a quantum operation with respect to the sensing member and causes the sensing member to generate the light corresponding to the magnetic field and so on.