A method of hyperpolarisation of nuclear spins in one or more particle(s) moving relatively to a polarisation structure, wherein a polarisation of electron spins in the polarisation structure is transferred to the nuclear spins in the particle(s), wherein for one or more of the moving particle(s) within 20 nm from a surface of the polarisation structure, the correlation time of the interaction with the nearest polarisation structure electron spin due to the molecular motion is larger than the inverse of the nuclear Larmor frequency; the electron spins in the polarisation structure are polarised above thermal equilibrium; and the polarisation transfer is performed resonantly.

A method of hyperpolarisation of nuclear spins in one or more particle(s) moving relatively to a polarisation structure, wherein a polarisation of electron spins in the polarisation structure is transferred to the nuclear spins in the particle(s), wherein for one or more of the moving particle(s) within 20 nm from a surface of the polarisation structure, the correlation time of the interaction with the nearest polarisation structure electron spin due to the molecular motion is larger than the inverse of the nuclear Larmor frequency; the electron spins in the polarisation structure are polarised above thermal equilibrium; and the polarisation transfer is performed resonantly.

An NMR-MAS probehead having an MAS stator (3) receiving an MAS rotor (5) that is surrounded by an RF coil (4) and that has a sample substance, and having a first microwave guide (1) supplying microwave radiation into a sample volume (0) through a coil block (2). The coil block is constructed from dielectric material, is inserted into the wall of the MAS stator so that it surrounds the RF coil and the MAS rotor, and has a first bore (4) that extends coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the elongate MAS rotor, the RF coil being fastened to the inner wall of said first bore, as well as a second bore (8) that extends coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the first microwave guide and has a hollow, elongate second microwave guide (8) supplying microwave radiation from the first microwave guide into the sample volume.

Attenuation of microwaves is reduced or prevented when vacuum windows are provided in microwave waveguides of a DNP-NMR probe. A DNP-NMR probe has an inner container and an outer container. The inner container has therein a sample tube containing a sample to which radicals are added. The outer container keeps a space between the outer container and the inner container in the outer container in a vacuum state. The outer container has an outer container waveguide that has a vacuum window at an inner end portion and guides microwaves. The inner container has a vacuum window facing the vacuum window of the outer container waveguide through vacuum, and guides microwaves transmitted from the outer container waveguide to the sample. The window-to-window distance between the vacuum window of the outer container and the vacuum window of the inner container is adjusted by means of adjustment bolts.

Provided is an apparatus and method comprising, an airlock chamber; a cryogenic chamber; an equilibrator positioned between the airlock chamber and the cryogenic chamber that is configured to allow for the passage of a sample along to the cryogenic chamber; and a cooling unit that is thermally coupled to the equilibrator. Collectively, the airlock chamber, equilibrator, and the cryogenic chamber define a travel path. A machine-readable medium, comprising instructions which when executed by a controller causes a sample to be cooled, is also provided.

An object is to provide a method for enhancing a nuclear spin polarization. Triplet DNP where a pentacene derivative represented by the following formula (A) is used as a polarizing agent enables an effective enhancement in nuclear spin polarization to be achieved. In formula (A), each R independently represents a hydrogen atom (H), a deuterium atom (-D), or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms which optionally includes at least one atom selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom and a silicon atom, provided that at least one R represents a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms which optionally includes at least one atom selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom and a silicon atom. ##STR00001##

An object is to provide a method for enhancing a nuclear spin polarization. Triplet DNP where a pentacene derivative represented by the following formula (A) is used as a polarizing agent enables an effective enhancement in nuclear spin polarization to be achieved. In formula (A), each R independently represents a hydrogen atom (H), a deuterium atom (-D), or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms which optionally includes at least one atom selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom and a silicon atom, provided that at least one R represents a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms which optionally includes at least one atom selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom and a silicon atom. ##STR00001##

Provided is a method of measuring a condition of neurotransmission in a target by means of a magnetic resonance process in which electron spin is used. The method includes a first step of applying a magnetic resonance process to the target containing therein a contrast medium containing molecules responsive to electric potential, to thereby obtain magnetic resonance signals, and a second step of determining a condition of neurotransmission in the target in accordance with the magnetic resonance signals having been obtained in the first step.

The invention concerns a method for the hyperpolarisation of .sup.13C nuclear spin in a diamond, comprising an optical pumping step, in which colour centre electron spins in the diamond are optically pumped. The method further comprises a transfer step in which the polarisation of a long-lived state of the colour centre electron spins is transferred to .sup.13C nuclear spins in the diamond via a long-range interaction.

The invention concerns a method for the hyperpolarisation of .sup.13C nuclear spin in a diamond, comprising an optical pumping step, in which colour centre electron spins in the diamond are optically pumped. The method further comprises a transfer step in which the polarisation of a long-lived state of the colour centre electron spins is transferred to .sup.13C nuclear spins in the diamond via a long-range interaction.