Zero field NMR and NQR

Abstract

Methods are described and demonstrated for detecting the coherent evolution of nuclear spin observables in zero magnetic field with the full sensitivity of high field NMR. The principle motivation is to provide a means of obtaining solid state spectra of the magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole interactions of disordered systems without the line broadening associated with random orientation with respect to the applied magnetic field. Comparison is made to previous frequency domain and high field methods. A general density operator formalism is given for the experiments where the evolution period is initiated by a sudden switching to zero field and is terminated by a sudden restoration of the field. Analytical expressions for the signals are given for a variety of simple dipolar and quadrupolar systems and numerical simulations are reported for up to six coupled spin-1/2 nuclei. Experimental results are reported or reviewed for 1H, 2D, 7Li, 13C, and 27Al nuclei in a variety of polycrystalline materials. The effects of molecular motion and bodily sample rotation are described. Various extensions of the method are discussed, including demagnetized initial conditions and correlation by two-dimensional Fourier transformation of zero field spectra with themselves or with high field spectra.