Quantum Valley Investment Fund LP

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David G Cory

Hamidreza Mohebbi

In some aspects, a resonator device includes a dielectric substrate, a ground plane on a first side of the substrate, and conductors on a second, opposite side of the substrate. The conductors include first and second resonators and two baluns. Each balun includes a feed, a first branch and a second branch. The feed is connected to the first and second branches, and the first and second branches are capacitively coupled to the respective first and second resonators. The first branch includes a delay line configured to produce a phase shift relative to the second branch. The resonator device includes a sample region configured to support a magnetic resonance sample between the first and second resonators.

Shifting phase in a resonator device for magnetic resonance

In some aspects, a resonator device for magnetic resonance applications is described. In some examples, the resonator device includes a resonator body that includes a periodic arrangement of cells about a central interior region. Each cell includes a dielectric substrate and a conductor disposed on the dielectric substrate. The periodic arrangement of the cells defines a periodic network of inductive and capacitive elements adapted to produce a magnetic field in the central interior region. The cells can be arranged according to various topologies that form various capacitive and inductive schemes. In some implementations, a dielectric substrate and thin superconductor are used, and the resonator device exhibits a high quality factor (Q) and low losses.

Birdcage resonator for magnetic resonance

In some aspects, polarization of a spin ensemble can be increased using cavity-based techniques. A sample contains a first spin ensemble and a second spin ensemble. A drive field couples the first spin ensemble with a cavity, and the coupling increases the polarization of the first spin ensemble. Polarization is transferred from the first spin ensemble to the second spin ensemble. In some examples, the polarization is transferred from a solvent or an abundant species to a solute or a dilute species in the sample.

Transferring spin polarization

In some aspects, polarization of a spin ensemble can be increased using cavity-based techniques. A resonator applies a drive field to a spin ensemble in a sample in a static magnetic field. The drive field couples the spin ensemble with a cavity, and the coupling increases the polarization of the spin ensemble. In some cases, the sample is thermally insulated from the cavity, for example, to maintain the sample at a higher temperature than the cavity. In some implementations, the spin ensemble achieves a polarization that is higher than its thermal equilibrium polarization.

Using a thermally-isolated cavity to polarize a spin ensemble

In some aspects, polarization of a spin ensemble can be increased using cavity-based techniques. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes a cavity and a resonator. The cavity is adapted to interact with a spin ensemble in an imaging subject in a static magnetic field. The resonator is adapted to generate an interaction between the cavity and the spin ensemble that increases polarization of the spin ensemble. In some implementations, the spin ensemble achieves a polarization that is higher than its thermal equilibrium polarization.

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