Apparatus for SQUID-detected nuclear magnetic resonance

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Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a very powerful research tool based on the detection of electromagnetic signals that emanate from the nuclei of certain atoms.  The frequency of these signals are uniquely linked to the magnetic environment in which the atoms are situated and as such can provide very precise information about a wide variety of physical, chemical, biological, and material properties. For example, the NMR signal from hydrogen atoms in our bodies can be detected non-invasively and used to locate and diagnose injury or disease. This technique, known as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is one of the most important tools in modern medicine.In recent years it has been demonstrated that xenon gas, when specially prepared using a method called optical pumping, has a particularly strong NMR signal and is particularly well suited for MR imaging of the lung.  We are developing a research program to further explore the NMR and MRI applications of xenon gas.  In particular, we plan to use a very sensitive device, known as a Superconducting Quantum Interference Device or SQUID, to detect the xenon signal. This will allow us to develop ultra-sensitive measurement techniques and instrumentation, which could be used, for example, to study lung physiology and disease with unprecedented resolution.