An ultra-low cost NMR device with arbitrary pulse programming.

Area of Science:

• Physical Sciences
• Chemistry
• Engineering

Background:

• General-purpose electronics boards with microprocessors or Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are increasingly capable.
• These boards offer potential for implementing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometers with reduced custom electronics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the feasibility of building an NMR spectrometer using ultra-low-cost, general-purpose electronics boards.
• To showcase the flexibility and precision offered by FPGA technology in NMR pulse programming and frequency generation.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of an NMR spectrometer utilizing a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) board.
• Programming of arbitrarily timed pulse sequences and digital frequency generation via FPGA.
• Acquisition of data using a 0.53T permanent magnet, including spin-lattice relaxation and Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill experiments.

Main Results:

• Successful demonstration of a functional NMR spectrometer with minimal custom electronics.
• Precise digital control over pulse sequences and frequencies achieved using FPGA.
• Demonstration of diverse NMR experiments, including relaxation measurements and phase-cycled experiments for quadrature detection.

Conclusions:

• Ultra-low-cost electronics boards are suitable for constructing versatile NMR spectrometers.
• FPGA technology provides precise timing and flexibility for advanced NMR pulse programming.
• This adaptable NMR spectrometer design can be tailored for various applications like relaxometry, polarimetry, and magnetometry.