Patent ID: 6064207
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
A method to achieve inversion of nuclear magnetization by adiabatic fast passage during an NMR study of a sample, said sample comprising a selected nuclear species of Larmor frequency .omega..sub.0, said method comprising the steps of:(a) during a first time interval t.sub..alpha., t.sub.0 .ltoreq.t.sub..alpha. <t.sub.1, amplitude modulating an RF carrier in accord with a time dependence A(t)=A(max) {1-.vertline.sin .beta.t.vertline..sup.n }, where n is a positive number and .beta.t increases in the range from 0 to .pi./2 and A(max) is the greatest amplitude to be achieved,(b) concurrently with step (a), frequency modulating said RF carrier in a linear sweep to vary the phase thereof in accord with a form .phi.(t)=.phi..sub.0 +1/2 kt.sub..alpha..sup.2 where .phi..sub.0 is an initial phase and k is a selected proportionality constant, whereby a first signal portion is generated,(c) during a second time interval t.sub..beta., t.sub.1 .ltoreq.t.sub..beta.<t.sub.2, immediately subsequent to said first time interval, continuing said frequency modulating said RF carrier in said linear sweep while maintaining said amplitude at said constant value A(max) during the interval t.sub..beta., whereby a second signal portion smoothly continuous with said first signal portion is generated,(d) during a third time interval t.sub..gamma., t.sub.2 .ltoreq.t.sub..gamma. <t.sub.3, immediately subsequent to said second time interval, amplitude modulating said RF carrier in accord with said time dependence of step (a) wherein said variable .beta.t decreases over the range .pi./2 to 0,(e) concurrently with step (d), frequency modulating said RF carrier in said linear sweep of opposite sense to step (b), whereby a third signal portion, smoothly continuous with said second signal portion is generated to complete a composite inversion pulse, and(f) applying at least one said composite inversion pulse to said sample.