US5247256A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rf receiver coil arrangement for nmr spectrometers
Assignee: Bruker Switzerland AG
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Filing: 1991-04-24
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Granted: 1993-09-21
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Expires: 2011-04-24
Abstract
Abstract In the case of a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer containing a sample (1) arranged in a homogeneous magnetic field and being adjusted approximately to room temperature or a higher temperature, and a RF receiver coil (3) which is arranged around the sample (1) and cooled down to far below room temperature, for receiving nuclear magnetic resonance signals from the sample (1), at least certain parts of the RF receiver coil (3) are in thermal contact with a cooled platform (7). The connection lines of the RF receiver coil (3), the outer resonator wall (10), the pre-amplifier and the coolant transfer lines can be cooled by cold return gas. Thanks to this arrangement of the RF receiver coil (3), one achieves an optimum space factor, the thermal noise of the receiver system is drastically reduced, the Q factor of the resonant circuit is increased, and consequently the signal-to-noise ratio is improved.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel Marek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 08:59
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R33/00; G01R33/20; G01R33/28; G01R33/32; G01R33/34; G01R33/34015; G01R33/30; G01R33/31; G01R33/341; G01R33/34023; G01R33/3403; G01R33/34092
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
RF receiver coil arrangement for NMR spectrometers comprising: RF receiver coil means disposed around a sample and cooled to a temperature far below room temperature, for receiving nuclear magnetic resonance signals from the sample, the sample being positioned in a homogeneous magnetic field and adjusted to at least room temperature and at least some parts of the RF receiver coil being in thermal contact with a cooled platform.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
68 words
RF receiver coil arrangement for NMR spectrometers comprising: RF receiver coil means disposed around a sample and cooled to a temperature far below room temperature, for receiving nuclear magnetic resonance signals from the sample, the sample being positioned in a homogeneous magnetic field and adjusted to at least room temperature and at least some parts of the RF receiver coil being in thermal contact with a cooled platform.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the RF receiver coil includes an electrically superconductive layer applied on a substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the substrate is a low-loss dielectric of high thermal conductivity at low temperatures, selected from a group consisting of sapphire and quartz.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the cooled platform is formed by the substrate in combination with a metal block, which is in thermal contact with the substrate, said metal block being formed from a material selected from a group consisting of Cu and Al.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the RF receiver coil comprises a metal wire containing high-purity metal selected from a group consisting of copper and aluminum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the RF receiver coil is in thermal contact with the cooled platform at least along one terminal of the RF receiver coil.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the RF receiver coil is in thermal contact with at least one cooling finger projecting from the cooled platform.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the RF receiver coil is in thermal contact with the cooled platform at a coil center.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the RF receiver coil is arranged in a vacuum, in an area around the sample.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the RF receiver coil is enclosed by one or more radiation shields.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising liquid nitrogen means for cooling said platform.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising liquid helium means for cooling said platform.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 1, wherein one terminal of the RF receiver coil passes through a bore in the cooled platform, without contacting the cooled platform.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 13, wherein an annular gap between the bore and the one terminal of the RF receiver coil passing therethrough is sealed by an electrically non-conductive material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 13, further comprising means, including a dielectric partition wall, for capacitively coupling the RF receiver coil to one of; lines outside a vacuum space around the RF receiver coil; a transformer network; and a pre-amplifier.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the one terminal of the RF receiver coil passing through the cooled platform, is surrounded by helium return gas.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising heat conduction means, including a dielectric of high thermal conductivity, in contact with the cooled platform, for cooling an RF-wise "hot" terminal of the RF receiver coil.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 15, wherein an outgoing terminal of the RF receiver coil leads to a semiconductor pre-amplifier surrounded by helium return gas, for amplification of the nuclear magnetic resonance signal from the sample.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the outgoing terminal of the RF receiver coil leads to a SQUID pre-amplifier, surrounded by helium return gas, for amplification of the nuclear magnetic resonance signal from the sample.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 1, wherein an innermost wall facing the RF receiver coil is cooled.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the innermost wall comprises a material of low RF losses selected from a group consisting of a metal of high electric conductivity and a superconductor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a cooled transmitter and/or decoupler coil.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
49 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the RF receiver coil forms, together with a surrounding cooling system, a measuring head which can be inserted into a magnet establishing the homogeneous magnetic field, said measuring head including means defining a bore therein intended to receive the sample.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
50 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 23, wherein the cooling system is designed as a flow-through-type cryostat having at least one transfer line to which liquid helium is supplied from a supply tank and which is surrounded by helium return gas during operation of the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 23, wherein the cryostat is equipped with an integrated supply tank for liquid helium or nitrogen.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
49 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 23, wherein cooling of the RF receiver coil and RF screening is effected by heat conduction in a metal block selected from a group consisting of high-purity Al and Cu, over distances in the range of half the length of the magnet.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
RF receiver coil arrangement according to claim 23, wherein the cooling system is designed as a closed cooling circuit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-09-20 | 1997-03-22 | 1997-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-09-20 | 2001-03-22 | 2001-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-09-20 | 2005-03-22 | 2005-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |