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Updated: May 19, 2026

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High-Temperature and High-Pressure In situ Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Published on: October 9, 2020
Microfabricated inserts for magic angle coil spinning (MACS) wireless NMR spectroscopy
Vlad Badilita1, Birgit Fassbender, Kai Kratt
1Laboratory for Microactuators, Department of Microsystems Engineering, IMTEK, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. vlad.badilita@imtek.de
Plos One
|September 1, 2012
Summary
Researchers developed novel microfabricated probes for magic angle coil spinning (MACS) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This innovation enhances sensitivity and spectral resolution for analyzing small samples, overcoming key limitations in NMR applications.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy
- Microfabrication Technology
- Materials Science
Background:
- NMR spectroscopy offers versatile applications but suffers from low sensitivity for mass- and volume-limited samples.
- Existing NMR techniques face challenges in analyzing minute samples due to sensitivity and resolution limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and test the first automatically microfabricated probes for Magic Angle Coil Spinning (MACS) NMR.
- To enhance NMR sensitivity and spectral resolution for analyzing small samples using microfabrication and MACS.
Main Methods:
- Wafer-scale fabrication of on-chip LC microresonators for inductive coupling of NMR signals.
- Simultaneous spinning of detection microcoil and sample at the magic angle (54.74°) with wireless signal transmission.
- Design and testing of MACS probes for various Larmor frequencies (194, 500, 700 MHz) with diverse samples.
Main Results:
- Successful development of the first microfabricated probes for MACS NMR.
- Demonstrated improved sensitivity and spectral resolution for analyzing samples like water, Drosophila pupae, adamantane, and LiCl.
- Microfabricated inserts showed kinematic advantages, reducing mechanical stress at high spinning rates (tens of kHz).
Conclusions:
- Microfabrication technology combined with MACS NMR offers a significant advancement for analyzing challenging samples.
- The developed probes provide a versatile and robust solution for enhancing NMR performance.
- This work paves the way for broader applications of NMR in analyzing micro- and nano-scale samples.

