Heteronuclear dipolar coupling in spin-1 NQR pulsed spin locking.

We investigate theoretically and experimentally the role of broadening due to heteronuclear dipolar coupling in spin-1 nuclear quadrupole resonance pulsed spin locking. We find the experimental conditions where heteronuclear dipolar coupling is refocused by a standard multipulse sequence. This experimental condition allows us to extend our previously reported ability to measure the homonuclear dipolar coupling of powder samples to include substances that have heteronuclear coupling. These results are useful for designing substance detection algorithms, and for performing sample characterization.

Rabi and Larmor nuclear quadrupole double resonance of spin-1 nuclei.

We demonstrate the creation of two novel double-resonance conditions between spin-1 and spin-1/2 nuclei in a crystalline solid. Using a magnetic field oscillating at the spin-1/2 Larmor frequency, the nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) frequency is matched to the Rabi or Rabi plus Larmor frequency, as opposed to the Larmor frequency as is conventionally done. We derive expressions for the cross-polarization rate for all three conditions in terms of the relevant secular dipolar Hamiltonian, and demonstrate with these expressions how to measure the strength of the heterogenous dipolar coupling using only low magnetic fields. In addition, the combination of different resonance conditions permits the measurement of the spin-1/2 angular momentum vector using spin-1 NQR, opening up an alternate modality for the monitoring of low-field nuclear magnetic resonance. We use ammonium nitrate to explore these resonance conditions, and furthermore use the oscillating field to increase the signal-to-noise ratio per time by a factor of 3.5 for NQR detection of this substance.

Low-field approach to double resonance in nuclear quadrupole resonance of spin-1 nuclei.

Using double-resonance conditions, in which the Larmor frequency of a spin-1/2 nucleus is matched to one of the nuclear quadrupole resonance frequencies of a spin-1 nucleus, the authors demonstrate increased cross relaxation between the two nuclear spin species. They calculate the cross-relaxation rate using the motionally averaged heterogeneous dipole Hamiltonian as a perturbation to the combined quadrupole and Zeeman Hamiltonians. Using this cross-relaxation rate, in addition to hydrogen and nitrogen autorelaxation rates, expressions governing spin-1/2 and spin-1 spin-lattice relaxation are determined. With ammonium nitrate, containing nitrogen (spin-1) and hydrogen (spin-1/2), increased nitrogen signal and spin-lattice relaxation are demonstrated, using fields less than 120 G. The cross-relaxation rate is also measured and an overall signal/noise improvement by a factor of 2.3+/-0.1 is attained.

Tunable atomic magnetometer for detection of radio-frequency magnetic fields.

We describe an alkali-metal magnetometer for detection of weak magnetic fields in the radio-frequency (rf) range. High sensitivity is achieved by tuning the Zeeman resonance of alkali atoms to the rf frequency and partially suppressing spin-exchange collisions in the alkali-metal vapor. We demonstrate magnetic field sensitivity of 2 fT/Hz(1/2) at a frequency of 99 kHz with a resonance width of 400 Hz. We also derive a simple analytic expression for the fundamental limit on the sensitivity of the rf magnetometer and show that a sensitivity of about 0.01 fT/Hz(1/2) can be achieved in a practical system with a measurement volume of 200 cm3.

14N magnetic resonance for materials detection in the field.

Nitrogen is prevalent in many materials, both naturally occurring and man-made. In particular, it is found in many explosives and other contraband materials. One technique for the detection of such materials in the field is the use of the magnetic resonance signal from the nearly 100% abundant, spin-1, 14N nuclei. Some of the difficulties with such measurements in the field include spurious signals from acoustic resonances, radio-frequency interference, and generally low signal-to-noise ratios. A summary of recent work by the authors to help mitigate these difficulties is presented.

MR imaging and spectroscopy using hyperpolarized 129Xe gas: preliminary human results.

Using a new method of xenon laser-polarization that permits the generation of liter quantities of hyperpolarized 129Xe gas, the first 129Xe imaging results from the human chest and the first 129Xe spectroscopy results from the human chest and head have been obtained. With polarization levels of approximately 2%, cross-sectional images of the lung gas-spaces with a voxel volume of 0.9 cm3 (signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), 28) were acquired and three dissolved-phase resonances in spectra from the chest were detected. In spectra from the head, one prominent dissolved-phase resonance, presumably from brain parenchyma, was detected. With anticipated improvements in the 129Xe polarization system, pulse sequences, RF coils, and breathing maneuvers, these results suggest the possibility for 129Xe gas-phase imaging of the lungs with a resolution approaching that of current conventional thoracic proton imaging. Moreover, the results suggest the feasibility of dissolved-phase imaging of both the chest and brain with a resolution similar to that obtained with the gas-phase images.