A 0.05 ppm resolution 25 MHz open-source
benchtop NMR spectrometer for the price of a laptop.
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High Resolution
0.05 ppm spectral resolution achievable with standard shimming (1 Hz full width at half maximum for distilled water).
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Low Cost
Material cost of ~3000 USD, making it accessible to the Global South, education and hobbyists.
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Open Source
Open-source hardware and software stack (CERN OHL/MIT/GPL).
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Portable
Small footprint, no cryogens required. Truly benchtop ready.
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Customizable
FPGA-based console based on MaRCoS running on an SDRlab 122-16 allows for full pulse sequence control.
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Educational
Ideal for teaching NMR principles in undergraduate labs.
Scientific Grade Resolution
Achieving 0.05 ppm (1 Hz) spectral resolution at 25 MHz using a dipole design and active shim coils. Enough to resolve J-coupling in Ethanol. Spectrum acquired on pure Ethanol in a 5 mm NMR tube in a single scan (1 acquisition).
Open Hardware
Science should be accessible. We provide all CAD files, PCB designs, and FPGA code under open licenses.
Desktop Footprint
No cryogens, no heavy lifting. The magnETHical prototype fits on a standard lab bench and in the future even a coffee table, making it perfect for education and rapid prototyping.
Team
Max Stabel, Takuya Segawa, Sebastian Kozerke, Roland Riek
ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Limitations
Current Constraints
- Measurements done at room temperature
- Only pure samples have been measured
- 0.05 ppm FWHM was measured on distilled water. 0.03 ppm with distilled water in Shigemi tube with sample restricted to coil volume
- Further validation needed on diverse sample types
Outlook
Future Applications
- photo-CIDNP
- NQR
- Fingerprinting
- Education
Next steps
- Electronics integration
- Software optimization
- Temperature Control / Stabilization
- Smartphone App
- And more ...