Decoupling high temperature superconductor sensor arrays in nuclear quadrupole resonance detection systems

A nuclear quadrupole resonance detection system comprising:

• a) an array of n high temperature superconductor sensors,
• wherein n≧2,
• wherein the n high temperature superconductor sensors only receive nuclear quadrupole resonance signals, and
• wherein the n high temperature superconductor sensors are each comprised of at least one high temperature superconductor self-resonant planar coil;
• b) one or more copper, silver or aluminum shielded-loop resonator coils for applying an RF excitation signal to a sample to be scanned for nuclear quadrupole resonance, the excitation signal being operative to excite the quadrupolar nuclei of the sample;
• and
• c) a capacitive decoupling circuit to decouple the n sensors,
• wherein the capacitive decoupling circuit includes n decoupling loops,
• wherein one decoupling loop is inductively coupled to each of the n sensors, and
• wherein each of the n decoupling loops is connected to a capacitive network.