High resolution electron spin resonance microscopy

NMR microscopy is routinely employed in fields of science such as biology, botany, and materials science to observe magnetic parameters and transport phenomena in small scale structures. Despite extensive efforts, the resolution of this method is limited (>10 microm for short acquisition times), and thus cannot answer many key questions in these fields. We show, through theoretical prediction and initial experiments, that ESR microscopy, although much less developed, can improve upon the resolution limits of NMR, and successfully undertake the 1 mum resolution challenge. Our theoretical predictions demonstrate that existing ESR technology, along with advanced imaging probe design (resonator and gradient coils), using solutions of narrow linewidth radicals (the trityl family), should yield 64 x 64 pixels 2D images (with z slice selection) with a resolution of 1 x 1 x 10 microm at approximately 60 GHz in less than 1h of acquisition. Our initial imaging results, conducted by CW ESR at X-band, support these theoretical predictions and already improve upon the previously reported state-of-the-art for 2D ESR image resolution achieving approximately 10 x 10 mum, in just several minutes of acquisition time. We analyze how future progress, which includes improved resonators, increased frequency of measurement, and advanced pulsed techniques, should achieve the goal of micron resolution.     

CRAFT TF中场线圈导体及内部接头电阻-温度特性研究

我国于2019年启动了国家大科学装置聚变堆主机关键系统综合研究设施(CRAFT)的建设,环向场(Toroidal Field, TF)线圈是聚变堆主机关键系统综合研究设施的重要组成部分.TF线圈绝缘制造采用真空压力浸渍工艺实现,因TF线圈体量巨大,为使线圈绝缘固化时温度均匀,减少绝缘树脂固化热应力,拟采用导体电流加热的方式进行加热.TF中场线圈有三个内部接头,因此需要同时知道导体和内部接头电阻与温度之间的关系,以防内部接头局部过热,导致绝缘固化失败.本文将中场内部接头样件加热到线圈绝缘工艺温度,用直流四线法测量导体和内部接头在不同温度下的电阻,得到在303～443 K温度区间内导体和内部接头电阻-温度关系式.发现相同温度下,导体电阻大于内部接头电阻,同时分析了内部接头铜套以及铬层对电阻的影响.并根据测得的电阻-温度关系式,可以得到在不同温度下超导缆及内部接头产生焦耳热的能力,从而为超导线圈绝缘固化温度控制提供重要的参考依据.     

Contrast-enhanced dynamic MRI protocol with improved spatial and time resolution for in vivo microimaging of the mouse with a 1.5-T body scanner and a superconducting surface coil

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is well suited for small animal model investigations to study various human pathologies. However, the assessment of microscopic information requires a high-spatial resolution (HSR) leading to a critical problem of signal-to-noise ratio limitations in standard whole-body imager. As contrast mechanisms are field dependent, working at high field do not allow to derive MRI criteria that may apply to clinical settings done in standard whole-body systems. In this work, a contrast-enhanced dynamic MRI protocol with improved spatial and time resolution was used to perform in vivo tumor model imaging on the mouse at 1.5 T. The needed sensitivity is provided by the use of a 12-mm superconducting surface coil operating at 77 K. High quality in vivo images were obtained and revealed well-defined internal structures of the tumor. A 3-D HSR sequence with voxels of 59x59x300 microm3 encoded within 6.9 min and a 2-D sequence with subsecond acquisition time and isotropic in-plane resolution of 234 microm were used to analyze the contrast enhancement kinetics in tumoral structures at long and short time scales. This work is a first step to better characterize and differentiate the dynamic behavior of tumoral heterogeneities.     

高温超导磁共振成像射频接收线圈的研究

为了提高低场磁共振成像系统的信噪比,提出了具有失谐电路的Bi2223带高温超导射频接收线圈.该线圈采用了电耦合方式传输超导谐振回路的磁共振信号,这种方式有利于进一步制成正交结构或相阵结构的超导接收线圈.为了防止趋肤效应降低超导接收线圈的性能,采用化学腐蚀的方法先将超导带的包套去掉,然后再制成超导主谐振电感.采用一种双探测线圈法对高温超导接收线圈和相同结构的常规铜线圈的Q值进行了测量,结果表明超导接收线圈比常规铜线圈的Q值约高一倍.     

A novel RF coil configuration for in-vivo and ex-vivo imaging of arthritic rabbit knee joints

The purpose of this study was to design and build an optimized Radio Frequency (RF) coil configuration, that would facilitate the acquisition of high resolution 3-dimensional (3D) images of arthritic and normal rabbit knees. A surface coil transmit surface coil receive configuration was built, in order to ensure adequate B(1) homogeneity over the imaging volume and maximum filling factor, and hence to maximize the Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) and resolution of the 3-dimensional images. The two coils were passively decoupled using crossed diodes and lambda/4 lines, both during the transmit and receive phases of the imaging experiment. A specialized animal bed, to optimize the use of the coils and minimize the experiment setup time was designed and constructed. Three dimensional images of resolution 156 x 156 x 468 microm, were acquired in 20 min; the results, in terms both of the high resolution images and the ease with which the experimental setup could be reproduced, demonstrated that this configuration is ideal for imaging rabbit knee joints.     

Signal-to-noise ratio comparison of phased-array vs. implantable coil for rat spinal cord MRI

The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance and practicality issues of a four-element phased-array coil and an implantable coil system were compared for rat spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 7 T. MRI scans of the rat spinal cord at T10 were acquired from eight rats over a 3 week period using both coil systems, with and without laminectomy. The results demonstrate that both the phased array and the implantable coil systems are feasible options for rat spinal cord imaging at 7 T, with both systems providing adequate SNR for 100-mum spatial resolution at reasonable imaging times. The implantable coils provided significantly higher SNR, as compared to the phased array (average SNR gain of 5.3x between the laminectomy groups and 2.5x between the nonlaminectomy groups). The implantable coil system should be used if maximal SNR is critical, whereas the phased array is a good choice for its ease of use and lesser invasiveness.     

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in deep human brain structures at 7 T

The increased magnetization and frequency separation at high magnetic field strength, such as 7 T, can provide spectra of high signal-to-noise ratio and spectral resolution. However, most human brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies at 7 T have employed surface coils and thus limited to superficial brain structures. In this study, volume coil excitation together with volume array reception has been utilized to access deeper brain areas. RF power limitations have been addressed by the use of VERSE-modified pulses, and spectra in parietal and pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC) have been acquired in eight subjects using STEAM with a short echo time of 20 ms. Spectra were analyzed using LC-model. Therefore, an experimental basis set of in vitro spectra was established from 20 human brain metabolite solutions. An exemplary comparison with an optimized PRESS-based single voxel MRS method at 3 T has been performed. Despite the intrinsically lower signal in STEAM, the 7 T spectra show 1.87 times higher signal-to-noise ratio than at 3 T (using PRESS) and more metabolites could be quantified reliably. The results show that the proposed method can be employed at 7 T in deep brain structures and allows the absolute and relative concentrations of human brain metabolites to be determined with low error levels.     

Cavity ringdown spectroscopy using mid-infrared quantum-cascade lasers

Cavity ringdown spectra of ammonia at 10 parts in 10(9) by volume (ppbv) and higher concentrations were recorded by use of a 16-mW continuous-wave quantum-casacde distributed-feedback laser at 8.5 mum whose wavelength was continuously temperature tuned over 15 nm. A sensitivity (noise-equivalent absorbance) of 3.4x10(-9) cm(-1) Hz(-1/2) was achieved for ammonia in nitrogen at standard temperature and pressure, which corresponds to a detection limit of 0.25 ppbv.     

Design of a capacitively decoupled transmit/receive NMR phased array for high field microscopy at 14.1T

A design is presented for a "phased array" of four transmit/receive saddle-geometry volume coils for microimaging at 600 MHz within a 45 mm clear-bore vertical magnet. The small size of the coils, approximately 10 mm in length, and high frequency of operation both present considerable challenges for the design of a phased array. The particular design consists of four saddle coils, stacked vertically, in order to produce an array suitable for imaging samples, typical of many microimaging studies, with a large length:diameter ratio. Optimal coil overlap is used to reduce the mutual inductance between adjacent coils, and capacitive networks are used to maximize the isolation between all of the coils. Standard 50 Omega input impedance preamplifiers are used so that the preamplifiers do not have to be integrated directly into the probe. Isolation between coils was better than 20 dB for all coil pairs. An increase in signal-to-noise of 70 +/- 3% was achieved, averaged over the whole array, compared to a single coil of the same dimensions. High resolution phased array images are shown for ex vivo tissue samples.     

3D MR microscopy with resolution 3.7 microm by 3.3 microm by 3.3 microm

The technique of magnetic resonance imaging microscopy holds promise of bringing the full capabilities of NMR to arbitrarily specified positions within spatially inhomogeneous systems, including biological cells, yet the possibilities are limited by the need for adequate sensitivity and spatial resolution. We report proton magnetic resonance images obtained by combining advances in receiver coil sensitivity, gradient strength, and pulse/gradient sequence design. We achieve resolution of 3.7 +/- 0.4 microm by 3.3 +/- 0.3 microm by 3.3 +/- 0.3 microm for a volume resolution approximately 40 femtoliters (corresponding to approximately 3 x 10(12) proton spins).     

Investigation of Bi-2223 high temperature superconducting tape as the material for gradient coil in MRI

The use of Bi-2223 high temperature superconducting (HTS) tape as a material for gradient coils in MRI is evaluated in this paper. Bi-2223 tapes have a very high critical current and a very low power loss. A HTS tape gradient coil is expected to provide much higher gradient strength and generate much lower heating than a copper coil. Measurements of the AC power loss of Bi-2223 tapes at typical operating frequencies for gradient coils are presented. The degradation of the critical current and its effect on the increase of AC power loss is analyzed. Practical technical issues such as resistance, gradient strength and mechanical performance are also discussed. A prototype Bi-2223 HTS tape gradient coil is evaluated to verify the concept.     

在小型制冷机中测量薄片交流磁化率以决定超导转变温度的装置

本文介绍了一种利用电磁感应原理和超导磁效应,在小型制冷机中测量超导体转变温度的装置.本装置包括密闭的真空室、压缩制冷机、真空泵、真空计、锁相放大器、温控仪、计算机、线圈绕组.其中,线圈绕组置于真空室内,由初级线圈和次级线圈组成,初级线圈和次级线圈分别绕制在两个线圈骨架上;被测超导薄片材料放置于初级线圈和次级线圈之间;压缩制冷机用来为超导材料制冷;真空泵用来对真空室抽真空;温控仪用来测量和控制真空室内的温度;锁相放大器为初级线圈提供交流电压信号,并测量次级线圈的电信号以得到交流磁化率值;计算机记录温控仪测得的温度数据和锁相放大器测得的次级线圈的电压信号,并显示锁相放大器测得的次级线圈的电压信号随温度变化的曲线.实验证明该装置可以通过测量超导体交流磁化率的变化测得超导转变温度,具有自动化测量及测试成本低等特点.     

Optimization calculations of polyhelix coils for hybrid magnets

In order to generate very high, steady magnetic fields for research in solid-state physics one can combine a high-power resistive magnet with an outer superconducting coil. If magnetic fields above 30 Tesla have to be produced it is advisable to use a water cooled polyhelix copper coil as an inner part of such a hybrid magnet. An algorithm is described which allows the optimization of the design paramaters of a polyhelix coil in an external magnetic field with respect to dimensions and material for various values of the heat flux. The calculations show that with an outside field of 13 Tesla generated by a Nb₃Sn−NbTi coil and with a 10 MW polyhelix magnet made of Cu (Al₂O₃) and Cu−Ag continuous magnetic fields around 40 Tesla may be generated in a 3 cm room temperature bore.     

Superconducting tunnel junctions as detectors for high‐resolution x‐ray spectroscopy

Superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs) are a type of cryogenic detector with a working temperature of about 100 mK. They allow the combination of low energy threshold, high quantum efficiency and good count rate capability with an excellent energy resolution; at an x‐ray energy of 5.9 keV an energy resolution of 10.8 eV (FWHM) has been achieved. The detector system described is based on STJs which consist of two superconducting Al electrodes separated by a thin dielectric tunnel barrier. The tunneling process of quasi‐particles created by deposition of energy in the electrodes leads to a detectable current signal. The STJ is equipped with a superconducting Pb absorber which is read out via phonons. The Pb absorber increases absorption efficiency (～50% at 6 keV) and suppresses detector artefacts. The degeneration of Pb, most probably due to oxidation, is overcome by the introduction of a protective SiO layer on top of the absorber. This layer leads to a slight reduction of energy resolution. Nevertheless, a resolution of 9.7 eV at 1.7 keV and of ～20 eV at 5.9 keV could be realized with a prototype detector. Currently this STJ‐based detector system is being incorporated into a prototype cryogenic spectrometer for XRF analysis. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

介质环境对铜丝电爆炸制备纳米粉体的影响

为了探究介质环境对电爆炸制备纳米粉体的影响, 搭建了相应的电爆炸实验平台, 以铜丝为例分别在水和不同空气压力下开展了电爆炸制备纳米粉体实验.通过Rogoswki线圈和高压探头分别测试了电爆炸过程中的电流和电压波形图.通过电压、电流及能量沉积特征分析了电爆炸的基本过程以及介质环境在电爆炸过程中的作用.运用透射电子显微镜对爆炸产物进行了粒度分析.研究发现, 介质环境对于电爆炸过程的影响主要表现在汽化化阶段以后, 包括介质对蒸汽膨胀的抑制作用, 介质的电离对于铜丝表面击穿的影响以及其对高温金属蒸汽及等离子体的冷却作用.水中铜丝电爆炸能够制备局部均匀的小尺寸纳米粉体, 粒度多数集中在10–20 nm之间, 但粉体易积聚, 且整体粒度跨越较大.空气中制备的粉体分散良好, 符合对数正态分布, 基本上分布于20–100 nm之间, 平均粒度约为40 nm.     

一种超导重力仪磁悬浮力的等效计算

为实现超导重力仪磁悬浮力的精确计算,以GWR型超导重力仪为模型基础,采用有限元的思想,将超导球表面电流理想化为多个等高共轴电流环,计算出各个电流环与超导线圈的作用力,求和得到线圈与超导球间的磁悬浮力。利用MATLAB完成计算程序实现,通过改变下线圈电流和上、下线圈电流比,获得满足一定条件的磁悬浮力及其梯度。选取合适的模型参数,计算出线圈对质量为m=4.069 g超导球的磁悬浮力大小为:Ftotal=3.988×10^-2N,磁悬浮力梯度为:-9.699×10^-3N/m,此时悬浮力梯度合适,满足系统稳定性和灵敏度的要求。     

Quality of the simulation of torus conditions with different three coil arrangements

The displacement and stress distributions in toroidally arranged circular superconducting coils producing the toroidal field for fusion experiments are computed by a finite element method. The results are compared with the displacement and stress distributions in one superconducting coil which forms part of different arrangements simulating torus conditions. Four arrangements with three coils are discussed; three of them consist of one superconducting coil with an inner coil winding diameter of 0.94 m and a maximum stored magnetic energy of 2.1 MJ, and two copper coils which were designed for experimental tests. The fourth 3-coil arrangement consists of three identical superconducting coils forming a sector of the torus.     

Considerations in applying 3D PRESS H-1 brain MRSI with an eight-channel phased-array coil at 3 T

The purpose of this study was to assess the benefits of a 3 T scanner and an eight-channel phased-array head coil for acquiring three-dimensional PRESS (Point REsolved Spectral Selection) proton (H-1) magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) data from the brains of volunteers and patients with brain tumors relative to previous studies that used a 1.5 T scanner and a quadrature head coil. Issues that were of concern included differences in chemical shift artifacts, line broadening due to increased susceptibility at higher field strengths, changes in relaxation times and the increased complexity of the postprocessing software due to the need for combining signals from the multichannel data. Simulated and phantom spectra showed that very selective suppression pulses with a thickness of 40 mm and an overpress factor of at least 1.2 are needed to reduce chemical shift artifact and lipid contamination at higher field strengths. Spectral data from a phantom and those from six volunteers demonstrated that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the eight-channel coil was more than 50% higher than that in the quadrature head coil. For healthy volunteers and eight patients with brain tumors, the SNR at 3 T with the eight-channel coil was on average 1.5 times higher relative to the eight-channel coil at 1.5 T in voxels from normal-appearing brains. In combination with the effect of a higher field strength, the use of the eight-channel coil was able to provide an increase in the SNR of more than 2.33 times the corresponding acquisition at 1.5 T with a quadrature head coil. This is expected to be critical for clinical applications of MRSI in patients with brain tumors because it can be used to either decrease acquisition time or improve spatial resolution.     

High-field magnetic resonance imaging using solenoid radiofrequency coils

High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging using dedicated high-field radiofrequency micro-coils at 16.4 T (700 MHz) was investigated. Specific solenoid coils primarily using silver and copper as conductors with enamel and polyurethane coatings were built to establish which coil configuration produces the best image. Image quality was quantified using signal-to-noise ratio and signal variation over regions of interest. Benchmarking was conducted using 5-mm diameter coils, as this size is comparable to an established coil of the same size. Our 1.4-mm-diameter coils were compared directly to each other, from which we deduce performance as a function of conductor material and coating. A variety of materials and conductor coatings allowed us to choose an optimal design, which we used to image a kidney section at 10-micron resolution. We applied zero-fill extrapolation to achieve 5-micron resolution.     

化学溶液沉积法制备YBCO薄膜的快速分解工艺研究

文中对化学溶液沉积法快速制备YBCO薄膜的工艺进行了探索。通过对分解工艺的优化,成功将薄膜的干燥分解时间缩短到1小时以内,而传统工艺则需要10小时以上的处理时间。以快速分解工艺成相的YBCO薄膜的X射线衍射、扫面电镜和物性测量结果表明薄膜具有良好的c轴外延织构,表面微观形貌平整致密,临界超导转变温度(Tc)为92K。