Name: nmr peak shape and magnetic field shimming
Uploaded: 2024-04-04T10:51:41.000Z
Duration: 1 min 14 s
Channel: JoVE

The Lorentzian peaks in an NMR spectrum are defined by their position, amplitude, and full width at half maximum.
The peak width of a properly prepared sample in a perfectly homogeneous field is governed by the spin&#8211;spin relaxation time alone.
However, the applied magnetic field, B0, is rendered inhomogenous by the presence of the sample and the probe. This results in broadened peaks with extraneous side-bands and poor resolution.
Magnetic field inhomogeneities are corrected by a process called shimming.
During shimming, current is passed through a set of shim coils surrounding the probe, generating small magnetic fields that enhance or oppose B0 in the vicinity of the sample.
These shim coil fields are manipulated to obtain the most uniform magnetic field across the sample.
Shimming, along with optimized pulse sequence parameters and proper sample preparation, ensures good peak shape, high signal-to-noise ratio, and maximum resolution.

nmr spectrometers: resolution and error correction

NMR Spectrometers: Resolution and Error Correction

When magnetic nuclei in a sample achieve resonance and undergo relaxation, the signal detected in NMR is an approximately exponential free induction decay. Fourier transform of an exponential decay yields a Lorentzian peak in the frequency domain. Lorentzian peaks in an NMR spectrum are defined by their amplitude, full width at half maximum, and position, where the peak width is governed by the spin-spin relaxation time alone. In real experiments, however, the applied magnetic field is rendered inhomogenous by the presence of the sample and the probe, resulting in broadened peaks with extraneous side-bands and poor resolution.
These inhomogeneities are corrected before the spectra are recorded by a process called shimming. A set of shim coils surrounds the probe and generates small magnetic fields depending on the current passed through them. These fields can enhance or oppose B0 in the vicinity of the sample. Shimming involves manipulating the coil fields to obtain the most uniform magnetic field across the sample, correcting the inhomogeneities. Shimming, optimized pulse sequence parameters, and proper sample preparation ensure good peak shape, low signal-to-noise ratio, and maximum resolution.

When magnetic nuclei in a sample achieve resonance and undergo relaxation, the signal detected in NMR is an approximately exponential free induction ...

nmr-spectrometers-resolution-and-error-correction

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Analytical Chemistry

Unit 1

Principles of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

nmr peak shape and magnetic field shimming

NMR peak shape depends on the signal created after magnetic nuclei resonate and relax. The detected free induction decay is approximately exponential. When that decay is Fourier transformed, it becomes a Lorentzian peak in the frequency domain.

A Lorentzian peak in an NMR spectrum is described by its amplitude, full width at half maximum, and position. Its width is governed by the spin-spin relaxation time alone. In real experiments, the sample and probe can make the magnetic field inhomogeneous. This can broaden peaks, add side-bands, and reduce resolution.

These field problems are corrected before spectra are recorded by shimming. Shim coils surround the probe and produce small magnetic fields based on the current applied to them. Their fields can either enhance or oppose B0 near the sample. By adjusting the coil fields, shimming makes the magnetic field more uniform across the sample.

Good shimming works best with optimized pulse sequence parameters and proper sample preparation. Together, these steps help produce good peak shape, low signal-to-noise ratio, and maximum resolution in NMR spectra.

NMR Peak Shape and Magnetic Field Shimming

nmr-peak-shape-and-magnetic-field-shimming

nuclear magnetic resonance (nmr): overview

NMR Spectra and MRI Imaging

Nuclear magnetic resonance, or NMR, is a phenomenon that certain nuclei can show when they absorb radio frequency energy under the right conditions. Scientists use it in molecular spectroscopy and in medical imaging. In both cases, the sample or the person being studied is placed in a magnetic field and exposed to radio frequency energy. In NMR spectroscopy, the result is a spectrum. This spectrum plots the absorption frequencies of the sample against peak intensity. The pattern gives detailed...

atomic nuclei: nuclear spin

Nuclear Spin and NMR-Active Nuclei

Atomic nuclei have nuclear spin, which comes from the spins of their protons and neutrons. These particle spins are intrinsic angular momentum, and each electron, proton, and neutron has a spin value of 1/2. In nuclei, proton spins pair with other protons, and neutron spins pair with other neutrons. They do not pair with each other, so the final nuclear spin depends on which nucleons are left unpaired. Even numbers of protons do not add to the nuclear spin, and even numbers of neutrons do not...

atomic nuclei: nuclear magnetic moment

Nuclear Spin States and Magnetic Alignment

Atomic nuclei can act like tiny magnets when they have a nonzero spin. Because they are positively charged and rotating, they generate a magnetic field and a magnetic moment. In the absence of an external magnetic field, this magnetic moment points in random directions. When an external magnetic field, B0, is applied, the nuclear magnetic moments can line up with the field or against it. These two directions create 2I + 1 orientations. A hydrogen nucleus is a proton, and it has spin 1/2, so it...

atomic nuclei: nuclear spin state overview

atomic-nuclei-nuclear-spin-state-overview

Zeeman Splitting in Nuclear Spin States

NMR-active nuclei have spin states that describe the orientation of their nuclear magnetic moments. Without a magnetic field, these moments point in random directions, and the spin states are degenerate, meaning they have the same energy. When an external magnetic field is applied, the nucleus can only take on 2I + 1 orientations, where I is the nuclear spin. A proton with spin 1/2 has two possible orientations. A quadrupolar nucleus with spin 1 has three possible orientations. The...

atomic nuclei: nuclear spin state population distribution

atomic-nuclei-nuclear-spin-state-population-distribution

Nuclear Spin Populations and NMR Signal

Nuclear spin populations help explain why NMR signals appear. In a magnetic field, nuclei can occupy a lower energy spin-up state or a higher energy spin-down state. Near absolute zero, most nuclei stay in the lower energy state. As temperature rises, thermal collisions spread the spins more evenly between the two states. The balance between the spin −1/2 and spin +1/2 populations is described by the Boltzmann distribution equation. In this equation, ΔE is the energy difference, k is the...

atomic nuclei: larmor precession frequency

atomic-nuclei-larmor-precession-frequency

Magnetic Field and Nuclear Precession

Magnetic field strength controls nuclear precession in NMR. A spinning nucleus has a magnetic moment, and that moment turns around an external magnetic field directed along the z-axis. This motion is called Larmor precession, and its angular frequency is the Larmor frequency. The Larmor frequency is directly proportional to the applied magnetic field, B0. The proportionality constant is the gyromagnetic ratio, gamma. This value is fixed for each nucleus because every nucleus has its own ratio...

atomic nuclei: magnetic resonance

Nuclear Spins and Resonance in a Magnetic Field

Nuclear spins can line up in a magnetic field and create nuclear magnetic resonance. In the lower energy state, slightly more spins are aligned than in the higher energy state. That small difference gives the nuclei a net magnetization along the z axis.

atomic nuclei: nuclear relaxation processes

atomic-nuclei-nuclear-relaxation-processes

Nuclear Spin Alignment and Relaxation

Nuclear spin alignment and relaxation describe how nuclear spins respond to a magnetic field and then return to equilibrium. Without an external magnetic field, nuclear spin states are degenerate, meaning they have the same energy, and the spins are randomly oriented. When a magnetic field is applied, the spins begin to precess, or wobble, and orient themselves either along the field in a lower energy state or against it in a higher energy state. At equilibrium, a slight excess of spins...

atomic nuclei: types of nuclear relaxation

atomic-nuclei-types-of-nuclear-relaxation

NMR Relaxation Paths in Atomic Nuclei

Nuclear relaxation in atomic nuclei helps restore the balance between energy levels in NMR systems. It occurs through two main paths: spin-lattice relaxation and spin-spin relaxation. Both are first-order exponential decay processes. Spin-lattice relaxation is also called longitudinal relaxation. In this process, excited spins give energy to the surrounding lattice as they move back to the lower energy level. Magnetic dipolar interactions are an important part of this mechanism. A common...

nmr spectrometers: overview

How NMR Spectrometers Record Signals

NMR spectrometers record signals from samples that contain NMR-active nuclei. The system uses a strong magnet, a radiofrequency transmitter, and a detector connected to a computer console. These parts work together to measure and display the spectrum of the sample. Early NMR instruments were continuous-wave spectrometers. In a frequency-sweep method, the magnetic field stays fixed while the rf signal is swept. In a field-sweep method, the radiofrequency signal stays fixed while the magnetic...

nmr spectrometers: radiofrequency pulses and pulse sequences

nmr-spectrometers-radiofrequency-pulses-and-pulse-sequences

NMR Pulse Angles and Signal Collection

NMR pulse angles and signal collection explain how radiofrequency energy starts a measurement. A pulse is a short burst of radio waves spread across a range of frequencies. It excites the nuclei in the sample at the same time. When a radiofrequency pulse is applied along the x-axis, nuclei absorb energy that matches their Larmor frequencies and reach resonance. The net magnetization vector moves away from the z-axis and toward the transverse plane. This rotation angle is called the flip angle.

NMR peak shape depends on the signal created after magnetic nuclei resonate and relax. The detected free induction decay is approximately exponential. When that decay is Fourier transformed, it becomes a Lorentzian peak in the frequency domain. A Lorentzian peak in an NMR spectrum is described by its amplitude, full width at half maximum, and position. Its width is governed by the spin-spin relaxation time alone. In real experiments, the sample and probe can make the magnetic field...

diamagnetic shielding of nuclei: local diamagnetic current

diamagnetic-shielding-of-nuclei-local-diamagnetic-current

How Electron Density Shields Nuclei in NMR

Electron density around a nucleus affects how strongly it is shielded in NMR spectroscopy. When an applied magnetic field acts on a molecule, the electrons begin to circulate. This creates a local diamagnetic current within the molecule. The circulating sigma-bonding electrons produce a local magnetic field, B local, that opposes the applied field, B0. The nucleus then feels an effective magnetic field, which is the difference between the applied field and the local field. This effect is...

key terms and concepts

Learn how NMR peak shape forms, why field inhomogeneity broadens signals, and how shimming improves resolution with better magnetic field uniformity.

NMR Peak Shape and Magnetic Field Shimming | JoVE K12

analytical chemistry

JoVE Core Analytical Chemistry simplifies complex chemical principles by breaking them down into clear, engaging animations, making topics from SI Units to NMR spectroscopy more accessible and straightforward. Additionally, the scientist-in-action videos highlight the application of these concepts in real-world research conducted in laboratories globally.

NMR Peak Shape and Magnetic Field Shimming

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