Lab-on-a-chip detection by magnetic resonance methods

The Progress in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy journal provides information magnetic resonance methods developed for lab-on-a-chip (LOC) detection. The signal depends on the magnetic field per unit current generated by the RF coil for direct LOC detection. The effects of the coil on the magnetic field inhomogeneity can be appreciated by considering the distortions created when plunging a coil of a cylindrical geometry into a perfectly homogeneous static field. A potential alternative to planar microcoils are stripline detectors, which are simple to fabricate and achieve superb sensitivity and spectral resolution. Several researchers have also demonstrated detection of nuclear spins by a planar microslot waveguide similar to stripline detection. These structures are used to transport quasi-transverse electromagnetic mode (TEM) RF signals on dielectric materials. The waveguide has been able to obtain a two-dimensional spectrum of ribonuclease-A on approximately 1014 spins.