Optically detected nuclear magnetic resonance imaging at low fields: Theory and practice

This dissertation shows the development and implementation of techniques for the optical detection of nuclear magnetic resonance using a rubidium frequency-modulated nonlinear magneto-optical rotation atomic magnetometer. The first three chapters provide introductory material describing the physics behind magnetic resonance, the motivation and challenges for conducting nuclear magnetic resonance experiments at low magnetic fields, and the experimental details behind atomic magnetometry. The next three chapters describe the design and construction of an optical atomic magnetometer and its application to the detection of magnetic particles and remotely detected magnetic resonance images. A study of paraffin waxes that are used as anti-relaxation coatings in the atomic magnetometer follows. The final chapter is a brief discussion of the direction of optically detected low-field nuclear magnetic resonance.