Electric potential sensor for use in the detection of nuclear magnetic resonance signals
AssigneeThe University of Sussex
InventorsRobert Prance, Terence Clarke
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Abstract
The present invention provides nuclear magnetic resonance apparatus comprising means for applying a static magnetic field (H0) to a sample under investigation, a radio frequency circuit arranged to be inductively coupled to the sample by means of an oscillating magnetic field disposed generally perpendicular to the static magnetic field for applying an excitation signal to the sample, and an electric potential sensor (E1, E2) for detecting the excitation of the sample and for generating a detection output. The electric potential sensor comprises an electrode placed generally perpendicular to the axis of the oscillating magnetic field for capacitively coupling the electric potential sensor to the sample.
Claims36
Nuclear magnetic resonance apparatus comprising:
- means for applying a static magnetic field to a sample under investigation,
- a radio frequency circuit arranged to be inductively coupled to the sample by means of an oscillating magnetic field disposed generally perpendicular to the static magnetic field for applying an excitation signal to the sample for generating a nuclear spin precessing magnetic field, and
- an electric potential sensor employed for signal detection by detecting excitation of the sample responsive to the excitation signal and generating a detection output based on an electric field associated with the precessing magnetic field,
- wherein the electric potential sensor comprises an electrode placed generally perpendicular to the axis of the oscillating magnetic field for capacitively coupling the electric potential sensor to the sample.
A method of nuclear magnetic resonance signal detection, comprising:
- applying a static magnetic field to a sample under investigation,
- employing an oscillating magnetic field disposed generally perpendicular to the static magnetic field for inductively applying an excitation signal to the sample for generating a nuclear spin precessing magnetic field, and
- employing an electric potential sensor for signal detection by detecting excitation of the sample responsive to the excitation signal and generating a detection output based on an electric field associated with the precessing magnetic field,
- wherein said step of detecting comprises placing an electrode of the electric potential sensor generally perpendicular to the axis of the oscillating magnetic field and capacitively coupling the electrode to the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.