Construction and performance of an NMR tube with a sample cavity formed within magnetic susceptibility-matched glass

We describe the construction and performance of an NMR tube with a magnetic susceptibility matched sample cavity that confines the solution within the detection zone in the axial direction and in a quasi-rectangular region in the radial direction. The slot-like sample cavity provides both good sample volume efficiency and tolerance to sensitivity loss in the sample space. The signal-to-noise ratio per unit volume of the constructed tube was 2.2 times higher than that of a cylindrical tube of 5 mm outer diameter with a sample containing 300 mM NaCl at a static magnetic field of 14.1 T. Even the overall signal-to-noise ratio of the slot tube was 35% higher than that of the conventional 5 mm tube for a sample containing 300 mM NaCl. Similar improvements over existing sample tube geometries were obtained at 950 MHz. Moreover the temperature rise resulting from RF heating was found to be significantly lower for the slot tube even when compared to 3 and 4 mm outer diameter cylindrical tubes as measured in a 5 mm cryoprobe. A further advantage of this type of tube is that a sample cavity of any desired size and shape can be formed within a cylindrical tube for use in a single cryogenic probe. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.