The invention pertains to advances in real-time methods in nuclear magnetic resonance by offering a new dual-frequency dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) method that uses a microwave beam to polarize the spins of electrons and concomitantly act as a NMR transmitter.

Apparatuses and methods for removing caps, such as NMR rotor caps. The apparatuses and methods may permit caps to be removed in a manner that minimizes damage to equipment and instruments. The apparatuses may include a plate defining an aperture, and two screws arranged in the plate, such as a tightening screw and at least one pushing screw.

Systems, methods and related devices used to produce and collect polarized noble gas to inhibit, suppress, detect or filter alkali metal nanoclusters to preserve or increase a polarization level thereof. The systems can include a pre-sat chamber that has an Area Ratio between 20 and 500.

A system can include: a superconducting or permanent magnet; a high field portion corresponding to the superconducting or permanent magnet, wherein the high field has a range of 0.1-20 T; a low field portion positioned outside of the superconducting or permanent magnet, wherein the low field has a range of 0.01 nT-100 mT; a shuttling mechanism configured to deliver a sample between the low field portion and the high field portion; and a polarization sub-assembly configured to hyperpolarize the sample while the sample is within the low field portion. A device can be configured to cause nuclear spin hyperpolarization in diamond particles such that the hyperpolarization is transferable to at least one of an external liquid or an external solid. A process of hyperpolarizing substances can include applying optical illumination to the substance, irradiating the substance with a series of microwave signals as one of either a single signal or as a frequency comb to hyperpolarize the nuclei in the substance, and relaying polarization to nuclear spins of one of a surrounding solid or fluid.

A method for hyperpolarizing spins includes the following steps: a) placing a sample containing spins (s) in a stationary magnetic field; b) magnetically coupling the sample to an electromagnetic resonator having a resonance frequency ω.sub.0 equal to the Larmor frequency of the spins in the stationary magnetic field, such that the coupling with the resonator dominates the relaxation dynamics of the spins; and c) reducing the effective temperature of the electromagnetic field inside the electromagnetic resonator below its physical temperature and that of the sample; whereby the polarization of the spins of the sample is established at a value higher than its thermal equilibrium value. An apparatus for implementing such a method is also provided.

Disclosed are methods for performing dynamic nuclear polarization using the polarizing agents described herein. In general, the methods involve (a) providing a frozen sample in a magnetic field, wherein the frozen sample includes a polarizing agent described herein and an analyte with at least one spin half nucleus; (b) polarizing the at least one spin half nucleus of the analyte by irradiating the frozen sample with radiation having a frequency that excites electron spin transitions in the polarizing agent; (c) optionally melting the sample to produce a molten sample; and (d) detecting nuclear spin transitions in the at least one spin half nucleus of the analyte in the frozen or molten sample. In certain embodiments, the polarizing agents can be peptide-based. In these embodiments, the polarizing agents can be readily prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis.

A method of enhancing the nuclear spin polarization of target molecules (10) uses a hyperpolarized source material (12) that is co-confined with the target molecules (10) in a porous molecular matrix (20). The matrix (20) may be a D4R-polysiloxane copolymer such as polyoligosiloxysilicone number two (PSS-2) that has recesses of an appropriate diameter. A source material (12), such as parahydrogen, is transferred to the matrix (20) together with the target molecules (10), and an external pressure is applied to force them into the recesses of the matrix (20). The nano-confinement of the source material (12) and target molecules (10) together enables or enhances a transfer of spin polarization from the source material (12) to the target molecules (10). When the target molecules (10) are removed from the matrix (20), the enhanced spin polarization greatly enhances the signal strength of the target molecules (10) in any subsequent magnetic resonance measurement.

The present invention relates to novel organic dinitroxide biradical compounds and their use as polarizing agents, in particular, in the techniques of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) of solids or liquid samples and medical imaging.

In a method (100 to 208) in which hyperpolarizable tracer molecules (20, 88 to 98) are hydrogenated and then optionally also hyperpolarized for magnetic resonance imaging, it is provided that, in a first method step (104, 202), a hydrogen solution (10, 12, 4) having a saturation factor of at least 50% be prepared and that the hydrogenation reaction (186 to 190, 206) not be triggered until a subsequent, second method step (106, 204). An apparatus (1) with which the method of the invention (100 to 208) is executable is also provided.

Systems and methods are provided for producing hyperpolarized materials for use during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) process. The system and methods include the use of microfluidic and/or microreactor methods in one or more of the stages of parahydrogen production, enriched substrate production, and spin order transfer from the parahydrogen to a substrate.