Method and device for rapid DNP

A method for producing hyperpolarized sample material for use in magnetic resonance investigations, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) preparing a target material, the target material containing high γ nuclei having a gyromagnetic ratio γhg with |γhg/2π|≧40 MHz/T, a polarizing agent and low γ nuclei having a gyromagnetic ratio γlg with |γlg/2π|≦18 MHz/T, the high γ nuclei having a short longitudinal relaxation time T1hg and the low γ nuclei having a long longitudinal relaxation time T1lg, wherein T1hg<T1lg;
• b) exposing the target material to a static magnetic field B0≧4.0 T;
• c) maintaining the target at a cryogenic temperature Tcr such that the target material is solid;
• d) irradiating the polarizing agent in the target material with microwave radiation thereby polarizing the high γ nuclei by DNP, wherein an EPR line of the polarizing agent has a width wPa>½ ωhg, with wPa=2√{square root over (2 log 2)}·σ, σ2 being a second moment of the EPR line and ωhg being a Larmor frequency of the high γ nuclei;
• e) transferring polarization from the high γ nuclei to the low γ nuclei by Cross Polarization;
• and
• f) preparing a dissolved sample material from the target material, wherein the sample material contains hyperpolarized low γ nuclei.