AN ULTRA-HIGH SPEED MAGIC ANGLE SAMPLE SPINNER FOR NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY

CURRENT SAMPLE SPINNERS FOR NMR SPECTROSCOPY ARE GENERALLY LIMITED IN ROTATIONAL SPEED TO ABOUT 10 KHZ. RESEARCHERS EXPECT TO DEMONSTRATE A SAMPLE SPINNER THAT IS CAPABLE OF STABLE OPERATION AT SPEEDS TO 40 KHZ. THE DEVICE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE RESOLUTION CAPABILITY OF SOLID STATE NMR BY REDUCING SPECTRUM BROADENING EFFECTS CAUSED BY (1)H-(1)H DIPOLE COUPLINGS. A UNIQUE GAS BEARING SYSTEM BASED ON PRINCIPLES SUCCESSFULLY EMPLOYED IN HIGH SPEED, MINIATURE CRYOGENIC TURBO-MACHINES IS BEING USED TO ACHIEVE THE 40 KHZ ROTATING SPEED. THE BEARINGS INCORPORATE DAMPING CAVITIES AND FEED ORIFICES TO PROVIDE CAPACITY AND STABILITY. THE BEARINGS ARE ALSO CONFIGURED TO ACCOMMODATE UNBALANCE FROM NONUNIFORM PACKING OF SAMPLE MATERIAL.