Imagine a giant, expensive medical scanner shrunk down to the size of a desktop printer without losing its power. Instead of using massive magnets, this tech uses tiny flaws in diamonds to 'feel' molecules. It makes detecting chemical structures much faster and easier, even with tiny samples.
Traditional NMR spectroscopy is too expensive and bulky for most labs because it requires massive magnets. This limits high-precision molecular analysis to only large, concentrated samples.
A first-generation compact, high-sensitivity benchtop NMR spectrometer using diamond nitrogen-vacancy centers.
If you are a drug discovery lab dealing with the high cost and bulk of traditional NMR machines — this project developed a quantum-enhanced benchtop spectrometer that allows for high-sensitivity molecular analysis of microliter volumes.
If you are a testing agency dealing with the inability to perform complex chemical analysis on-site — this project developed a compact sensor based on diamond NV centers that brings laboratory-grade sensitivity to the field.
If you are a producer dealing with slow quality control cycles — this project developed a benchtop NMR platform that enables online monitoring of chemical reactors with record-breaking sensitivity.
Based on available project data, it replaces bulky, expensive high-field magnets and induction coils with compact diamond-based quantum sensors, making the equipment more accessible for laboratories.
The project aims to scale detection from picoliter to microliter volumes, demonstrating a path toward industrial-scale benchtop spectrometers.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not provided, but the project involves 2 industry partners and 2 SMEs who are co-developing the technology.
It is designed as a benchtop spectrometer, meaning it can be placed directly in analytical chemistry lab environments for immediate validation.
The project period runs from 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31, suggesting the first generation of spectrometers will be validated by the end of 2026.
The consortium is led by a major university (TUM) and consists of 7 partners across 4 countries. With a 29% industry ratio, including 2 SMEs and 2 industrial partners, there is a clear bridge between academic quantum research and commercial application.
Contact the Technical University of Munich (TUM) regarding the QUENCH project.
Contact us to connect with the QUENCH consortium for early adoption of quantum NMR.
