We carry out an ultra-low-field nuclear magnetic resonance （NMR） experiment based on high-T c superconducting quantum interference devices （SQUIDs）. The measurement field is in a micro-tesla range （～10 μT-100 ...We carry out an ultra-low-field nuclear magnetic resonance （NMR） experiment based on high-T c superconducting quantum interference devices （SQUIDs）. The measurement field is in a micro-tesla range （～10 μT-100 μT） and the experiment is conducted in a home-made magnetically-shielded-room （MSR）. The measurements are performed by the indirect coupling method in which the signal of nuclei precession is indirectly coupled to the SQUID through a tuned copper coil transformer. In such an arrangement, the interferences of applied measurement and polarization field to the SQUID sensor are avoided and the performance of the SQUID is not destroyed. In order to compare the detection sensitivity obtained by using the SQUID with that achieved using a conventional low-noise-amplifier, we perform the measurements using a commercial room temperature amplifier. The results show that in a wide frequency range （～1 kHz-10 kHz） the measurements with the SQUID sensor exhibit a higher signal-to-noise ratio. Further, we discuss the dependence of NMR peak magnitude on measurement frequency. We attribute the reduction of the peak magnitude at high frequency to the increased field inhomogeneity as the measurement field increases. This is verified by compensating the field gradient using three sets of gradient coils.展开更多
基金Project supported by the State Key Development Program for Basic Research of China (Grant Nos. 2011CBA00106 and 2009CB929102)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11104333, 11161130519, and 10974243)
文摘We carry out an ultra-low-field nuclear magnetic resonance （NMR） experiment based on high-T c superconducting quantum interference devices （SQUIDs）. The measurement field is in a micro-tesla range （～10 μT-100 μT） and the experiment is conducted in a home-made magnetically-shielded-room （MSR）. The measurements are performed by the indirect coupling method in which the signal of nuclei precession is indirectly coupled to the SQUID through a tuned copper coil transformer. In such an arrangement, the interferences of applied measurement and polarization field to the SQUID sensor are avoided and the performance of the SQUID is not destroyed. In order to compare the detection sensitivity obtained by using the SQUID with that achieved using a conventional low-noise-amplifier, we perform the measurements using a commercial room temperature amplifier. The results show that in a wide frequency range （～1 kHz-10 kHz） the measurements with the SQUID sensor exhibit a higher signal-to-noise ratio. Further, we discuss the dependence of NMR peak magnitude on measurement frequency. We attribute the reduction of the peak magnitude at high frequency to the increased field inhomogeneity as the measurement field increases. This is verified by compensating the field gradient using three sets of gradient coils.
