Direct measure of DNA bending by quantum magnetic imaging of a nano-mechanical torque-balance
Quantum mechanics can be used to study microscopic forces!
This was the first paper I have contributed to! While my research focus has shifted dramatically, I still find the principles behind the paper interesting: we can use nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond (imagine two adjacent atoms of carbon in a diamond zapped, with one being filled by a nitrogen atom) to view magnetic fields by exciting the NV centers and collecting their emitted photoluminescence. By rotating an external magnetic field, we can change the orientation of DNA (one end attached to a magnetic nanoparticle, the other to the diamond’s surface). This rotation can be captured by the imaging system, allowing us to study the stiffness and mechanical properties of DNA!