# US 2013/0278265 A1 · Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0278265 A1 - Document ID: US20130278265A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/921,724 - Filed: 2013-06-19 - Published: 2013-10-24 - Earliest claimed: 2011-01-03 - Assignees: Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science - Applicants: Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science - Inventors: Ki Woong KIM; Seong-Joo LEE; Chan Seok KANG; Seong-min HWANG; Yong-Ho LEE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130278265A1 ## CPC - G01R 33/36: Electrical details, e.g. matching or coupling of the coil to the receiver - G01R 33/282: {Means specially adapted for hyperpolarisation or for hyperpolarised contrast agents, e.g. for the generation of hyperpolarised gases using optical pumping cells, for storing hyperpolarised contrast agents or for the determination of the polarisation of a hyperpolarised contrast agent} - G01R 33/445: {MR involving a non-standard magnetic field B0, e.g. of low magnitude as in the earth's magnetic field or in nanoTesla spectroscopy, comprising a polarizing magnetic field for pre-polarisation, B0 with a temporal variation of its magnitude or direction such as field cycling of B0 or rotation of the direction of B0, or spatially inhomogeneous B0 like in fringe-field MR or in stray-field imaging} - G01R 33/62: using double resonance (G01R33/24 takes precedence) - G01R 33/307: {specially adapted for moving the sample relative to the MR system, e.g. spinning mechanisms, flow cells or means for positioning the sample inside a spectrometer} - G01R 33/326: {involving a SQUID} - G01R 33/3607: {RF waveform generators, e.g. frequency generators, amplitude-, frequency- or phase modulators or shifters, pulse programmers, digital to analog converters for the RF signal, means for filtering or attenuating of the RF signal} - G01R 33/4826: {in three dimensions} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract Provided are a low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device and a low-field nuclear magnetic resonance method. The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device includes a dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) amplification unit to amplify the nuclear polarization of hydrogen atoms of water using a DNP-possible substance (DNP substance) to provide the amplified nuclear polarization to a measurement target, a sensor unit to measure a magnetic resonance signal of the measurement target using a SQUID sensor or an optically-pumped atomic magnetometer, and a measurement field coil to apply a measurement field to the measurement target. The DNP amplification unit is separated from the measurement target, the sensor unit, and the measurement field coil. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device comprising: a dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) amplification unit to amplify the nuclear polarization of hydrogen atoms of water using a DNP-possible substance (DNP substance) to provide the amplified nuclear polarization to a measurement target; a sensor unit to measure a magnetic resonance signal of the measurement target using a SQUID sensor or an optically-pumped atomic magnetometer; and a measurement magnetic field coil to apply a measurement magnetic field to the measurement target, wherein the DNP amplification unit comprises: a bias magnetic field coil to apply a bias magnetic field to the DNP substance and the water; a filter unit disposed inside the bias magnetic field coil and including a gel-filtration matrix to provide the amplified nuclear polarization of the water to the measurement target; and an RF resonance circuit part including an RF resonance coil disposed around the gel-filtration matrix, and wherein the DNP amplification unit is separated from the measurement target, the sensor unit, and the measurement magnetic field coil. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 1, wherein the DNP amplification unit further comprises a water circulation unit to supply the water to the gel-filtration matrix. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 1, wherein the filter unit comprises: a gel-filtration matrix where the DNP substance is fixed; a DNP filter to prevent the permeation of the DNP substance; an inlet to receive the water; and an outlet to supply the water to the measurement target. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 3, wherein the gel-filtration matrix fixes an NH2 group of TEMPO or an OH group of TEMPOL using a Sepharose which is a kind of carriers for gel-filtration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 4, wherein the gel-filtration matrix uses the NHS activated Sepharose 4 Fast Flow as a material to fix the TEMPO. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 4, wherein the gel-filtration matrix uses the epoxy-activated Sepharose 6B as a material to fix the TEMPO and the TEMPOL. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 1, wherein the DNP substance is TEMPO or TEMPOL. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 1, wherein the water which has the amplified nuclear-polarization by passing through the gel-filtration matrix is continuously or intermittently supplied to the measurement target. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 1, wherein the DNP amplification unit is disposed outside the measurement magnetic field coil. ### Claim 10 A low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device comprising: a dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) amplification unit to amplify the nuclear polarization of hydrogen atoms of water using a DNP-possible substance (DNP substance) to provide the amplified nuclear polarization to a measurement target; a sensor unit to measure a magnetic resonance signal of the measurement target using a SQUID sensor or an optically-pumped atomic magnetometer; and a measurement magnetic field coil to apply a measurement magnetic field to the measurement target, wherein the DNP amplification unit comprises: a bias magnetic field coil to apply a bias magnetic field to a DNP substance in an aqueous solution state; and an RF resonance circuit part including an RF resonance coil disposed around the bias magnetic field coil, and wherein the measurement target includes the DNP substance in the aqueous solution state. ### Claim 11 A low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device comprising: a dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) amplification unit to amplify the nuclear polarization of hydrogen atoms of water using a DNP-possible substance (DNP substance) to provide the amplified nuclear polarization to a measurement target; a sensor unit to measure a magnetic resonance signal of the measurement target using a SQUID sensor or an optically-pumped atomic magnetometer; and a measurement magnetic field coil to apply a measurement magnetic field to the measurement target, wherein the DNP amplification unit comprises: a bias magnetic field coil to apply a bias magnetic field to the DNP substance and the water; a filter unit disposed inside the bias magnetic field coil and including a gel-filtration matrix to provide the amplified nuclear polarization of the water to the measurement target; and an RF resonance circuit part including an RF resonance coil disposed around the gel-filtration matrix, and wherein the DNP amplification unit, the measurement target, the sensor unit, and the measurement magnetic field coil are disposed spatially adjacent to each other to reduce a signal decay caused by a relaxation of the amplified nuclear polarization of the water while providing the amplified nuclear polarization of the water. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 1, wherein the bias magnetic field has the magnitude of several milliTesla (mT). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 1, further comprising at least one of the following: a gradient magnetic field coil to provide a gradient magnetic field to the measurement target; and a prepolarization coil to prepolarize the measurement target. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 1, which does not comprise a prepolarization magnetic field to prepolarize the measurement target. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 1, wherein the RF resonance circuit part comprises: the RF resonance coil including at least one turn; a first extension having one end connected to one end of the RF resonance coil and being in the form of coaxial cable; a second extension having one end connected to the other end of the RF resonance coil and being in the form of coaxial cable having the same length of l as the first extension; a first capacitor coupled between the other end of the first extension and an input terminal of an RF power source; a second capacitor coupled between the other end of the second extension and a ground terminal; and a third extension being in the form of coaxial cable connected to the other end of the first extension and the other end of the second extension, wherein a length of the third extension is a half-wavelength of a driving RF power source. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 1, wherein the RF resonance circuit part comprises: the RF resonance coil including at least one turn; a first capacitor connected in parallel with the RF resonance coil; and a second capacitor connected to one end of the RF resonance coil and one end of the first capacitor, wherein the other end of the RF resonance coil and the other end of the first capacitor are grounded, and the other end of the second capacitor is connected to an input terminal of a driving RF power source. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance device of claim 1, wherein the RF resonance circuit part comprises: the RF resonance coil including at least one turn; a first capacitor having one end connected in series to one end of the RF resonance coil; and a second capacitor coupled between the other end of the first capacitor and a ground, wherein the other end of the RF resonance coil is grounded, and the other end of the first capacitor is connected to an input terminal of a driving RF power source. ### Claim 18 A low-field nuclear magnetic resonance method comprising: amplifying the nuclear polarization of hydrogen atoms of water by applying a bias magnetic field and an RF magnetic field to the DNP substance and the water; providing the amplified nuclear polarization of the water to a measurement target; applying a measurement magnetic field to the measurement target; and measuring a nuclear magnetic resonance signal of the measurement target using a SQUID or an optically-pumped atomic magnetometer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance method of claim 18, further comprising: providing a gradient magnetic field to the measurement target. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The low-field nuclear magnetic resonance method of claim 18, further comprising: providing a prepolarization magnetic field to the measurement target.