Professor Malcolm H Levitt, School of Chemistry, University of Southampton

Nuclear Spins far from Equilibrium

There are hundreds of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods applied today, ranging from methods for the imaging of anatomic structure (MRI) to methods for determining molecular structure and dynamics in solution and in the solid state. However most of these techniques employ nuclear spin systems which remain very close to a state of thermal equilibrium with respect to the molecular environment.

It is now possible to prepare substances in which the nuclear spin systems are very far from thermal equilibrium. Such systems may, in some cases, give rise to NMR signals which are highly enhanced with respect to signals obtained under routine conditions. In special cases, other phenomena are observed, such as a change in electrical properties under cryogenic conditions.

I will review the types of non-equilibrium spin order that exist, describe how they are prepared, how they may be interconverted, and how they may be applied. Some of the following examples from our group will be presented: the hyperpolarization of long-lived states using dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP); quantum-rotor-induced polarization in methyl groups and water-endofullerenes; spin-isomer-dependent electrical polarizability in water endofullerenes; parahydrogen-induced polarization. 

Short bio:

Malcolm H Levitt: born 1957, Hull, England. Undergraduate education: Keble College, Oxford 1973–1978. BA Chem (Oxon) in 1978, D Phil with Ray Freeman, Oxford, 1981. Postdoctoral research with Shimon Vega (Weizmann Institute, Israel) 1982 and R. R. Ernst (ETH-Zürich, 1982–1985). Staff scientist at the Francis Bitter National Magnet Laboratory, MIT, 1985–1990. Royal Society Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, UK, 1990–1991. Lecturer and later Professor at the University of Stockholm, Sweden, 1991–2001. Since 2001 Professor in Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Southampton University, UK. 

Principal honours: LATSIS Research Prize of ETH-Zürich, 1985. Göran Gustafsson Prize in Chemistry, Sweden, 1996. Ampère Prize of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance, 2005. Honorary Fellow of the Indian Society of Magnetic Resonance, 2006. Adjunct Professorship of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India, 2006. Fellow of the Royal Society, 2007. Laukien Prize in Magnetic Resonance, 2008. Fellow of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance, 2008. Craig Lectureship, Australian National University, 2010. Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India, 2012. Russell Varian Prize in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, 2015.

Hosts: Professor Birgit Schiøtt and Professor Thomas Vosegaard, iNANO and Dept. of Chemistry, AU