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In this paper, an overview of the current status of high-Tc superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs), from device engineering to biomagnetic applications, is given. The authors offer a description of the current status of SQUID sensors, challenges encountered, and the solution of fabricating SQUID sensors with low flux noises. The current challenge that we face is to fabricate high-Tc SQUIDs that are not only more reproducible than the current technology but also capable of providing a high IcRn product and fabricating SQUID with high yield. Improvement of flux noises and fabrication yield in the integrated multichoices directly coupled SQUID magnetometer or gradiometer with series SQUID array are presented. High-Tc SQUID magnetometers exhibiting magnetic field sensitivity of ∼30–50fT∕Hz1∕2 or better at 100Hz was demonstrated by incorporating serial SQUID into the pickup loop of the magnetometers. New technologies currently being developed and applications for high-Tc SQUIDs are addressed.

Magnetoplasmonic nanoparticles, composed of a plasmonic layer and a magnetic core, have been widely shown as promising contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications. However, their application in low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LFNMR) research remains scarce. Here we synthesised γ-Fe2O3/Au core/shell (γ-Fe2O3@Au) nanoparticles and subsequently used them in a homemade, high-Tc, superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) LFNMR system. Remarkably, we found that both the proton spin–lattice relaxation time (T1) and proton spin–spin relaxation time (T2) were influenced by the presence of γ-Fe2O3@Au nanoparticles. Unlike the spin–spin relaxation rate (1/T2), the spin–lattice relaxation rate (1/T1) was found to be further enhanced upon exposing the γ-Fe2O3@Au nanoparticles to 532 nm light during NMR measurements. We showed that the photothermal effect of the plasmonic gold layer after absorbing light energy was responsible for the observed change in T1. This result reveals a promising method to actively control the contrast of T1 and T2 in low-field (LF) MRI applications.

In this work, we report the use of bio-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (BMNs) and dynamic magnetic resonance (DMR) to characterize the time-dependent spin-spin relaxation time for sensitive bio-detection. The biomarkers are the human C-reactive protein (CRP) while the BMNs are the anti-CRP bound onto dextran-coated Fe3O4 particles labeled as Fe3O4-antiCRP. It was found the time-dependent spin-spin relaxation time, T2, of protons decreases as time evolves. Additionally, the ΔT2 of of protons in BMNs increases as the concentration of CRP increases. We attribute these to the formation of the magnetic clusters that deteriorate the field homogeneity of nearby protons. A sensitivity better than 0.1 μg/mL for assaying CRP is achieved, which is much higher than that required by the clinical criteria (0.5 mg/dL). The present MR-detection platform shows promise for further use in detecting tumors, viruses, and proteins.