HIGH RESOLUTION NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE WITH UNKNOWN SPATIOTEMPORAL VARIATIONS OF THE STATIC MAGNETIC FIELD

摘要

The invention relates to nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). NMR experiments are usually carried out in homogeneous magnetic fields. In many cases however, the inherent heterogeneity of the samples or living organisms under investigation, and the poor homogeneity of the magnets (particularly when bulky samples must be placed outside their bores), make it virtually impossible to obtain high-resolution spectra. Unstable power supplies and vibrations arising from cooling can lead to field fluctuations in time as well as space. Here it is shown how high- resolution NMR spectra can be obtained in inhomogeneous fields with unknown spatiotemporal variations. The method of the invention, based on coherence transfer between spins, can accommodate spatial inhomogeneities of at least 11 G/cm and temporal fluctuations slower than 2 Hz.