Upper stack for a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer aaparatus and associated method of operating a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer apparatus
AssigneeUniversity of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorJames H. Prestegard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An upper stack for a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer apparatus includes a cryostat having one or more chambers for holding samples in a frozen state. A sample loading tube that also allows He delivery extends to the cryostat, and a sample changer mechanism is disposable at least in part proximate to the cryostat for moving specimens from the cryostat to an NMR probe where they can be heated and melted using inductive heating. A sample ejection tube extends from the sample changer mechanism allowing a clear path for heating a sample in an NMR probe using a laser beam.
Claims18
An upper stack for a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer apparatus having an axis, said upper stack being disposable on said axis as an integral part of said spectrometer apparatus, said upper stack comprising:
- a cryostat having at least one sample-receiving chamber for holding a plurality of samples in respective sample holders;
- a sample loading tube extending to said cryostat;
- a sample ejection tube;
- and
- a sample changer mechanism disposable at least in part proximate to said cryostat for moving samples in said respective sample holders from said at least one chamber to an NMR probe at least in part through an on-axis movement.
A method for gathering data using a nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus, comprising:
- loading a plurality of samples into a cryostat disposed with the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus, the loading of said samples including rotating said cryostat about an axis and loading said samples in seriatim into said cryostat at a loading station;
- subjecting said plurality of samples simultaneously to cryogenic temperatures in said cryostat disposed within the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus;
- moving the cryogenically frozen samples in seriatim from said cryostat to a NMR probe of the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus;
- heating each given sample while the given sample is disposed in the NMR probe;
- and
- immediately upon heating of each selected one of said samples, operating the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus to obtain a spectrum from said selected one of said samples.
A method for gathering data using a nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus, comprising:
- subjecting a plurality of samples simultaneously to cryogenic temperatures in a cryostat disposed within the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus;
- moving the cryogenically frozen samples in seriatim from said cryostat to a NMR probe of the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus;
- heating each given sample while the given sample is disposed in the NMR probe;
- and
- immediately upon heating of each selected one of said samples, operating the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus to obtain a spectrum from said selected one of said sample,
- wherein the heating and melting of each said given sample is accomplished inductively by operating RF transmitter coils of the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus.
A method for gathering data using a nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus, comprising:
- subjecting a plurality of samples simultaneously to cryogenic temperatures in a cryostat disposed within the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus;
- moving the cryogenically frozen samples in seriatim from said cryostat to a NMR probe of the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus;
- heating each given sample while the given sample is disposed in the NMR probe;
- and
- immediately upon heating of each selected one of said samples, operating the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus to obtain a spectrum from said selected one of said samples,
- wherein the moving of the frozen sample from said cryostat to said NMR probe includes shifting the samples in a first direction from said cryostat, in a second direction toward an axis of said probe, and in a third direction along said axis into said probe.
A method for gathering data using a nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus, comprising:
- subjecting a plurality of samples simultaneously cryogenic temperatures in a cryostat disposed within the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus;
- moving the cryogenically frozen samples in seriatim from said cryostat to a NMR probe of the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus;
- heating each given sample while the given sample is disposed in the NMR probe;
- and
- immediately upon heating of each selected one of said samples, operating the nuclear magnetic spectrometer apparatus to obtain a spectrum from said selected one of said samples,
- wherein the heating of each said given sample includes directing a laser beam along an axis of said probe to the given sample in the NMR probe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.