Welcome to the ZULF blog

The ZULF Innovative Training Network (InnovativeTN) comprises groups from eight leading European universities and one scientific research centre, dedicated to developing, exploring and applying methods of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in the regime of zero and ultra-low magnetic fields (ZULFs). The project is aimed at providing absolutely unique training, combining the experience of world-leading experts in diverse fields and disciplines to 11 individuals, and leading to a doctoral degree. Apart from the opportunity to participate in groundbreaking research, the young scientists will acquire soft and transferable skills including scientific writing, communication and presentation, data mining, curation and analysis, entrepreneurship, knowledge of intellectual property law, business administration and finance. All of them absolutely indispensable for any modern scientist.

The beneficiaries of the ETN ZULF consortium have made pioneering contributions to the field, in particular:

• hyperpolarization and signal enhancement (University of York, University of Southampton, Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, University of Torino, Italian Institute of Technology);
• chemical analysis in ZULF NMR and J-spectroscopy (Jagiellonian University, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz);
• detection of NMR signals using optical magnetometers (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Jagiellonian University, Ulm University);
• high-resolution NMR with NV-diamond sensors (Ulm University);
• applications of low-field NMR (Italian Institute of Technology).

The ZULF ETN project brings together international leaders in these areas, with the goal of providing the Early Stage Researchers with a unique basis for exploring novel directions that go beyond the works conducted in individual groups, including:

• submillihertz spectral resolution ZULF NMR;
• nanometer spatial-resolution J-spectroscopy with NV diamonds;
• NMR spectra of molecules at natural abundance using hyperpolarization;
• application of ZULF NMR in searches for fundamental properties and symmetries of nature (parity non-conservation);
• chemical fingerprinting of molecules in liquids.