Scanning a band of frequencies using an array of high temperature superconductor sensors tuned to the same frequency
First Claim
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1. A method for detecting the presence of nuclear guadrapole resonance signals in a sample by scanning the sample with a band of frequencies Δ
- F using a nuclear quadrupole resonance detection system comprising an array of n high temperature superconductor sensors, wherein n≧
2 and the bandwidth of each sensor is Δ
f, the method comprising the steps of;
a) determining r different frequencies that span the band of frequencies Δ
F when using sensors with bandwidths Δ
f, wherein r is the order of Δ
F/Δ
f;
b) tuning the resonance frequency of all the n sensors to the same frequency, wherein the frequency is selected from the group of the r different frequencies, and maintaining the resonance frequencies for a selected period of time;
c) retuning simultaneously the resonance frequency of all the n sensors to the same frequency, wherein the retuned frequency is another of the r different frequencies, and maintaining these retuned resonance frequencies for a selected period of time; and
d) repeating step (c) r-2 times, wherein after each retuning the retuned resonance frequencies of the n sensors are different from the resonance frequencies to which the sensors are tuned or retuned in any of the previous stepswhereby every one of the r frequencies is used by every one of the sensors to scan the sample for the presence of nuclear quadrapole resonance signals.
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Abstract
The methods of the invention for scanning a band of frequencies using a nuclear quadrupole resonance detection system with an array of high temperature superconductor sensors to detect nuclear quadrupole resonance signals improve the nuclear quadrupole resonance detection system performance.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for detecting the presence of nuclear guadrapole resonance signals in a sample by scanning the sample with a band of frequencies Δ
- F using a nuclear quadrupole resonance detection system comprising an array of n high temperature superconductor sensors, wherein n≧
2 and the bandwidth of each sensor is Δ
f, the method comprising the steps of;a) determining r different frequencies that span the band of frequencies Δ
F when using sensors with bandwidths Δ
f, wherein r is the order of Δ
F/Δ
f;b) tuning the resonance frequency of all the n sensors to the same frequency, wherein the frequency is selected from the group of the r different frequencies, and maintaining the resonance frequencies for a selected period of time; c) retuning simultaneously the resonance frequency of all the n sensors to the same frequency, wherein the retuned frequency is another of the r different frequencies, and maintaining these retuned resonance frequencies for a selected period of time; and d) repeating step (c) r-2 times, wherein after each retuning the retuned resonance frequencies of the n sensors are different from the resonance frequencies to which the sensors are tuned or retuned in any of the previous steps whereby every one of the r frequencies is used by every one of the sensors to scan the sample for the presence of nuclear quadrapole resonance signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- F using a nuclear quadrupole resonance detection system comprising an array of n high temperature superconductor sensors, wherein n≧
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8. A nuclear quadrupole resonance detection system configured for scanning a sample, comprising:
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a) n high temperature superconductor sensors, each with bandwidth Δ
f, in order to scan a band of frequencies Δ
F and detect any nuclear quadrupole resonance signal within the band of frequencies Δ
F, wherein n≧
2;b) means to tune the resonance frequencies of all the n sensors to the same resonance frequency, wherein the resonance frequency is selected from the group of r different frequencies that span the band of frequencies Δ
F using sensors with bandwidths Δ
f, and wherein r is of the order of Δ
F/Δ
f; andc) means to simultaneously retune r-1 times the resonance frequencies of all the n sensors to the same frequency each time, wherein the frequency each time is another of the r different frequencies, and wherein after each retuning each of the n sensors has a retuned resonance frequency that is different from any resonance frequencies to which it has previously been retuned. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification