Changing samples in a magnetic resonance system

An electron spin resonance (ESR) method comprising:

• receiving a sample holder comprising a plurality of ESR samples into a resonator package, the resonator package disposed in a primary magnetic field of a magnetic resonance system, the resonator package comprising a resonator configured to interact with an ESR sample in a sample region;
• cooling the sample holder to a cryogenic temperature;
• based on signals received from the resonator, calibrating a position of the sample holder relative to the resonator;
• based on the calibration, translating the sample holder in a linear fashion to position in the sample region a select ESR sample, of the plurality of ESR samples;
• and
• acquiring magnetic resonance data based on magnetic resonance signals generated by an interaction between the resonator and the select ESR sample.

An electron spin resonance (ESR) apparatus, comprising:

• a resonator configured to operate in a cryogenic thermal environment;
• a sample holder comprising a plurality of sample containers;
• and
• a sample transfer device operable to translate the sample holder in a linear fashion relative to the resonator to position any one of the sample containers in a sample region of the resonator.