Patent ID: 8063639

Claim:
A method of use of an NMR probe in a first operating mode to achieve optimized sensitivity at a resonance frequency ω 0 for a first sample quantity, and subsequently operating in a second operating mode to achieve optimized sensitivity at the same resonant frequency ω 0 for a second sample quantity, the second sample quantity much smaller than the first sample quantity, the method comprising: providing an NMR probe having an RF resonator optimized for studies of said first sample quantity, wherein the RF resonator provides an RF magnetic field along a first direction; inserting the first sample quantity of a first sample into said probe; supplying RF energy at frequency ω 0 ; tuning the NMR probe to ω 0 and acquiring first desired data therefrom, whereby operation in the first operating mode is fulfilled; removing said first sample from the probe; inserting a self resonant micro-coil within said RF resonator; inserting a micro sample along the axis of the self resonant micro-coil, said micro-coil surrounding said micro sample, said micro-coil inductively coupled to the RF resonator; re-tuning the NMR probe to a frequency ωc>ω 0 , and the frequency ωc sufficient to excite self-resonance of the micro-coil at ω 0 ; inserting the second sample quantity into the RF resonator of the NMR probe; and acquiring second desired data from the micro sample, whereby said second operating mode is fulfilled.