NMR Signal Detection using Inductive Coupling: Applications to Rotating Microcoils

Sensitivity in solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance can be improved by the use of rotating microcoils (1). The connection to the rest of the electronics is performed through resonant inductive coupling. This mode of detection of nuclear induction has major advantages as it provides a wireless way to obtain extremely high radio-frequency amplitudes per unit current under sample rotation and thus improved sensitivity for size-limited samples. We review the circuit electronics and discuss experimental optimization of the probe and coil parameters. We also present alternative geometries for coupling between rotating coils and we explicitly calculate the signal enhancement. Two practical cases are presented, namely a standard magic angle sample spinning probe and a double sample rotation probe. We conclude with a theoretical discussion about the limits of detection attainable with coil miniaturization. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part A 38A: 33-51, 2011.