High Magnetic Field Strength Research Articles

Abnormal temperature dependent behaviors of intersystem crossing and triplet-triplet annihilation in organic planar heterojunction devices

Anomalous temperature dependent magneto-electroluminescence was observed at low and high magnetic field strength from organic planar heterojunction devices incorporated common phosphorescent host materials of N,N′-dicarbazolyl-3,5-benzene (mCP) or 4,4′-N,N′-dicarbazole-biphenyl (CBP) as an emissive layer. We found that intersystem crossing became stronger with decreasing temperature and that triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) occurred at room temperature but ceased at low temperature. Analyses of the electroluminescence spectra of these devices and their temperature dependences indicated that the population of exciplex states increased at low temperature, which caused the abnormal behavior of intersystem crossing. Additionally, long lifetime of the excitons within mCP or CBP layer may allow TTA to occur at room temperature, while the reduced population of excitons at low temperature may account for the disappearance of TTA even though the excitons had increased lifetime.

Electron cyclotron emission spectra in X- and O-mode polarisation at JET: Martin-Puplett interferometer, absolute calibration, revised uncertainties, inboard/outboard temperature profile, and wall properties.

At the tokamak Joint European Torus (JET), the electron cyclotron emission spectra in O-mode and X-mode polarisations are diagnosed simultaneous in absolute terms for several harmonics with two Martin-Puplett interferometers. From the second harmonic range in X-mode polarisation, the electron temperature profile can be deduced for the outboard side (low magnetic field strength) of JET but only for some parts of the inboard side (high magnetic field strength). This spatial restriction can be bypassed, if a cutoff is not present inside the plasma for O-mode waves in the first harmonic range. Then, from this spectral domain, the profile on the entire inboard side is accessible. The profile determination relies on the new absolute and independent calibration for both interferometers. During the calibration procedure, the antenna pattern was investigated as well, and, potentially, an increase in the diagnostic responsivity of about 5% was found for the domain 100-300 GHz. This increase and other uncertainty sources are taken into account in the thorough revision of the uncertainty for the diagnostic absolute calibration. The uncertainty deduced and the convolution inherent for Fourier spectroscopy diagnostics have implications for the temperature profile inferred. Having probed the electron cyclotron emission spectra in orthogonal polarisation directions for the first harmonic range, a condition is derived for the reflection and polarisation-scrambling coefficients of the first wall on the outboard side of JET.

Performance Characterization of the Low-Power Halo Electric Propulsion System

Performance measurements have been obtained of a novel propulsion concept called the Halo thruster under development within the University of Surrey. The Halo thruster, a type of cusped-field thruster with close similarity to the cylindrical Hall thruster, is motivated by the need for low-power and low-cost electric propulsion for the small satellite sector. Two versions of the device are investigated in this study: a design using permanent magnets at high magnetic-field strength and a design using electromagnets with moderate field strength. While operating at 200 W discharge power, which is of particular interest to power-limited small satellite platforms, the permanent-magnet design achieved a maximum thrust efficiency of 8% at a specific impulse of approximately 900 s using a krypton propellant. By comparison, the electromagnet design achieved a maximum thrust efficiency of 28% at a specific impulse of approximately 1500 s at 200 W using a xenon propellant. For higher levels of power (tested up to 800 W), the performance of the electromagnetic design saturated at approximately 25% thrust efficiency using krypton and 30% using xenon. The thrust efficiency of the permanent-magnet design appeared to increase monotonically up to 600 W reaching a maximum value of 14%.

High-Resolution 3T MR Imaging of the Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex.

This study is intended as a review of 3Tesla (T) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC). The recent advances in MR imaging, which includes high field strength magnets, multi-channel coils, and isotropic 3-dimensional (3D) sequences have enabled the visualization of precise TFCC anatomy with high spatial and contrast resolution. In addition to the routine wrist protocol, there are specific techniques used to optimize 3T imaging of the wrist; including driven equilibrium sequence (DRIVE), parallel imaging, and 3D imaging. The coil choice for 3T imaging of the wrist depends on a number of variables, and the proper coil design selection is critical for high-resolution wrist imaging with high signal and contrast-to-noise ratio. The TFCC is a complex structure and is composed of the articular disc (disc proper), the triangular ligament, the dorsal and volar radioulnar ligaments, the meniscus homologue, the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon sheath, and the ulnolunate and ulnotriquetral ligaments. The Palmer classification categorizes TFCC lesions as traumatic (type 1) or degenerative (type 2). In this review article, we present clinical high-resolution MR images of normal TFCC anatomy and TFCC injuries with this classification system.

Peak joint angular velocities of the straight punch in professional boxers

Localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) is a noninvasive tool for measuring in vivo neurochemical information in animal and human brains. With the increase of magnetic field strength, whereas localized 1H-MRS benefits from higher sensitivity and spectral dispersion, it is challenged by increased spatial inhomogeneity of the B0 and B1 fields, larger chemical shift displacement error, and shortened T2 relaxation times of metabolites. Advanced localized 1H-MRS methodologies developed for high magnetic fields have shown promising results and allow the measurement of neurochemical profiles with up to 19 brain metabolites, including less-abundant metabolites, such as glutathione, glycine, γ-aminobutyric acid and ascorbate. To provide a practical guide for conducting in vivo 1H-MRS studies at high magnetic field strength, we reviewed various essential technical aspects from data acquisition (hardware requirements, B1 and B0 inhomogeneity, water suppression, localization sequences and acquisition strategies) to data processing (frequency and phase correction, spectral quality control, spectral fitting and concentration referencing). Additionally, we proposed guidelines for choosing the most appropriate data acquisition and processing approaches to maximize the achievable neurochemical information.

A refined integro-surface energy-based model for vibration of magnetically actuated double-nanowire-systems carrying electric current

A novel surface energy-based model is developed to examine more precisely vibrations of current-carrying double-nanowire-systems immersed in a longitudinal magnetic field. Using Biot-Savart and Lorentz laws, a more refined version of interwire interactional magnetic forces is presented. By employing Rayleigh beam theory, the equations of motion are derived. In fact, these are coupled integro-differential equations which are more accurate with respect to those of the previously developed models. For simply supported and clamped nanosystems, governing equations are analyzed via assumed mode method. The effects of interwire distance, slenderness ratio, electric current, magnetic field strength, and surface effect on the fundamental frequency are addressed carefully. The obtained results display the importance of exploiting the refined model for vibration analysis of nanosystems with low interwire distance, high electric current, and high magnetic field strength.

Investigation of Factors Affecting Body Temperature Changes During Routine Clinical Head Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

BackgroundPulsed radiofrequency (RF) magnetic fields, required to produce magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals from tissue during the MRI procedure have been shown to heat tissues.ObjectivesTo investigate the relationship between body temperature rise and the RF power deposited during routine clinical MRI procedures, and to determine the correlation between this effect and the body’s physiological response.Patients and MethodsWe investigated 69 patients from the Korean national cancer center to identify the main factors that contribute to an increase in body temperature (external factors and the body’s response) during a clinical brain MRI. A routine protocol sequence of MRI scans (1.5 T and 3.0 T) was performed. The patient’s tympanic temperature was recorded before and immediately after the MRI procedure and compared with changes in variables related to the body’s physiological response to heat.ResultsOur investigation of the physiological response to RF heating indicated a link between increasing age and body temperature. A higher increase in body temperature was observed in older patients after a 3.0-T MRI (r = 0.07, P = 0.29 for 1.5-T MRI; r = 0.45, P = 0.002 for 3.0-T MRI). The relationship between age and body heat was related to the heart rate (HR) and changes in HR during the MRI procedure; a higher RF power combined with a reduction in HR resulted in an increase in body temperature.ConclusionA higher magnetic field strength and a decrease in the HR resulted in an increase in body temperature during the MRI procedure.

Physiochemical Response of Organic Molecules in Head-Disk Interface Under Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording Environment

With the recent advances, data storage industries are pushing the limits of recording devices by heating the media with a pulsing laser. Although high-temperature operations may be favorable for the magnetic recording process, it increases the instability of the whole system. Lubricant molecules on the media surface can greatly be affected by this change. Previous experiments have reported signs of unknown substances contaminating the head component during the operation of heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) which hinders the read/write capabilities of the device. In this paper, we have analyzed the nanoscale physical phenomena of several lubricant/organic molecules in the head–disk interface under the harsh conditions of HAMR via molecular dynamics simulation using the united atom model, coarse-grained, bead-spring model, and simple reactive sphere model. Our models simulated extreme temperature, high magnetic field strength, and effects of different media for two different perfluoropolyether molecules. Our preliminary simulation results provided few possible sources of the unknown materials and of those possibilities, evaporation seemed to be dominant.

TH-AB-BRA-09: Stability Analysis of a Novel Dose Calculation Algorithm for MRI Guided Radiotherapy

Purpose: To determine the iterative deterministic solution stability of the Linear Boltzmann Transport Equation (LBTE) in the presence of magnetic fields. Methods: The LBTE with magnetic fields under investigation is derived using a discrete ordinates approach. The stability analysis is performed using analytical and numerical methods. Analytically, the spectral Fourier analysis is used to obtain the convergence rate of the source iteration procedures based on finding the largest eigenvalue of the iterative operator. This eigenvalue is a function of relevant physical parameters, such as magnetic field strength and material properties, and provides essential information about the domain of applicability required for clinically optimal parameter selection and maximum speed of convergence. The analytical results are reinforced by numerical simulations performed using the same discrete ordinates method in angle, and a discontinuous finite element spatial approach. Results: The spectral radius for the source iteration technique of the time independent transport equation with isotropic and anisotropic scattering centers inside infinite 3D medium is equal to the ratio of differential and total cross sections. The result is confirmed numerically by solving LBTE and is in full agreement with previously published results. The addition of magnetic field reveals that the convergence becomes dependent on the strength of magnetic field, the energy group discretization, and the order of anisotropic expansion. Conclusion: The source iteration technique for solving the LBTE with magnetic fields with the discrete ordinates method leads to divergent solutions in the limiting cases of small energy discretizations and high magnetic field strengths. Future investigations into non-stationary Krylov subspace techniques as an iterative solver will be performed as this has been shown to produce greater stability than source iteration. Furthermore, a stability analysis of a discontinuous finite element space-angle approach (which has been shown to provide the greatest stability) will also be investigated. Dr. B Gino Fallone is a co-founder and CEO of MagnetTx Oncology Solutions (under discussions to license Alberta bi-planar linac MR for commercialization)

Determining the Origin of Half-bandgap-voltage Electroluminescence in Bifunctional Rubrene/C60 Devices

Lowering the driving voltage of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) is an important approach to reduce their energy consumption. We have fabricated a series of bifunctional devices (OLEDs and photovoltaics) using rubrene and fullerene (C60) as the active layer, in which the electroluminescence threshold voltage(~1.1 V) was half the value of the bandgap of rubrene. Magneto-electroluminescence (MEL) response of planner heterojunction diodes exhibited a small increase in response to a low magnetic field strength (<20 mT); however, a very large decay was observed at a high magnetic field strength (>20 mT). When a hole-transport layer with a low mobility was included in these devices, the MEL response reversed in shape, and simultaneously, the EL threshold voltage became larger than the bandgap voltage. When bulk heterojunction device was examined, the amplitude of MEL curves presented an anomalous voltage-dependence. Following an analysis of the MEL responses of these devices, we proposed that the EL of half-bandgap-voltage device originated from bimolecular triplet-triplet annihilation in the rubrene film, rather than from singlet excitons that formed via an interface auger recombination. This work provides critical insight into the mechanisms of OLED emission and will help advance the applications of bifunctional devices.

Dynamics of flows, fluctuations, and global instability under electrode biasing in a linear plasma device

Grid biasing is utilized in a large-scale helicon plasma to modify an existing instability. It is shown both experimentally and with a linear stability analysis to be a hybrid drift-Kelvin–Helmholtz mode. At low magnetic field strengths, coherent fluctuations are present, while at high magnetic field strengths, the plasma is broad-band turbulent. Grid biasing is used to drive the once-coherent fluctuations to a broad-band turbulent state, as well as to suppress them. There is a corresponding change in the flow shear. When a high positive bias (10Te) is applied to the grid electrode, a large-scale (ñ/n≈50%) is excited. This mode has been identified as the potential relaxation instability.

Advanced MRI and staging of multiple sclerosis lesions.

Over the past few decades, MRI-based visualization of demyelinated CNS lesions has become pivotal to the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple sclerosis (MS). In this Review, we outline current efforts to correlate imaging findings with the pathology of lesion development in MS, and the pitfalls that are being encountered in this research. Multimodal imaging at high and ultra-high magnetic field strengths is yielding biologically relevant insights into the pathophysiology of blood-brain barrier dynamics and both active and chronic inflammation, as well as mechanisms of lesion healing and remyelination. Here, we parallel the results in humans with advances in imaging of a primate model of MS - experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in the common marmoset - in which demyelinated lesions resemble their human counterparts far more closely than do EAE lesions in the rodent. This approach holds promise for the identification of innovative biological markers, and for next-generation clinical trials that will focus more on tissue protection and repair.

Gd(III)-Dithiolane Gold Nanoparticles for T1-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Pancreas.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma has a 5 year survival of approximately 3% and median survival of 6 months and is among the most dismal of prognoses in all of medicine. This poor prognosis is largely due to delayed diagnosis where patients remain asymptomatic until advanced disease is present. Therefore, techniques to allow early detection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma are desperately needed. Imaging of pancreatic tissue is notoriously difficult, and the development of new imaging techniques would impact our understanding of organ physiology and pathology with applications in disease diagnosis, staging, and longitudinal response to therapy in vivo. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides numerous advantages for these types of investigations; however, it is unable to delineate the pancreas due to low inherent contrast within this tissue type. To overcome this limitation, we have prepared a new Gd(III) contrast agent that accumulates in the pancreas and provides significant contrast enhancement by MR imaging. We describe the synthesis and characterization of a new dithiolane-Gd(III) complex and a straightforward and scalable approach for conjugation to a gold nanoparticle. We present data that show the nanoconjugates exhibit very high per particle values of r1 relaxivity at both low and high magnetic field strengths due to the high Gd(III) payload. We provide evidence of pancreatic tissue labeling that includes MR images, post-mortem biodistribution analysis, and pancreatic tissue evaluation of particle localization. Significant contrast enhancement was observed allowing clear identification of the pancreas with contrast-to-noise ratios exceeding 35:1.

Influence of matching field on critical current density and irreversibility temperature in YBa2Cu3O7 films with BaMO3 (M = Zr, Sn, Hf) nanorods

The influence of the matching field (BΦ) on critical current density (Jc) and irreversibility temperature (Tirr) in YBa2Cu3O7 films containing BaMO3 (M = Zr, Sn, Hf) nanorods was investigated. It was revealed that the irreversibility temperature normalized by the critical temperature (Tirr/Tc) was influenced by BΦ, for B &amp;gt; BΦ, but Tirr/Tc did not depend on which BaMO3 material was used for B &amp;lt; BΦ, i.e., there was no dependence on nanorod density, diameter, interface sharpness, or Tc in the case of ideal nanorods. However, Jc/Jc(0 T) was found to decrease with increasing BΦ at low magnetic field strengths and to improve at high magnetic field strengths. In addition to Jc being dependent on BΦ, the Tc term in Tirr and Jc(0 T) were also found to have an effect on Jc.

Microstructure of the Midbrain and Cervical Spinal Cord in Idiopathic Restless Legs Syndrome: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study.

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) allows the study of white matter microstructure in the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to examine the DTI metrics of the cervical spinal cord and the brainstem up to the midbrain in patients with idiopathic restless legs (RLS) compared to matched healthy controls. DTI analysis of the cervical spinal cord and the brainstem up into the midbrain was performed in 25 patients with idiopathic RLS and 25 matched healthy controls. Data analysis in the brain was performed by voxelwise comparison of fractional anisotropy (FA) maps at group level. Cervical spinal cord data analysis was performed by slicewise analysis of averaged FA values in axial slices along the spinal cord. Voxelwise comparison of FA maps in the brainstem showed significant microstructural alterations in two clusters in the midbrain bilaterally. Slicewise comparison of the FA maps in the cervical spinal cord showed a trend for lower FA values at the level of the second and third vertebra area in the patient sample. The imaging data suggest that significant alterations in the midbrain in RLS can be visualized by DTI and might correlate to a macroscopically subtle process with changes of the tissue microstructure in the corresponding tracts. An additional area of interest is regionally clustered in the upper cervical spinal cord with a tendency toward altered diffusion metrics. These results might be addressed by further studies, e.g., at higher magnetic field strengths.

High magnetic field influence on the molecular orientation and the morphology of iron phthalocyanine thin films

Molecular orientation and stacking mode are commonly considered to have vital influence on the optoelectronic performances of organic semiconductor devices via changing the dynamics of charge carriers transferring among the molecules. Highly ordered and homogeneous stacking would allow a fast band transfer mechanism in the phase domain. Therefore the controls of the molecular orientation and the stacking behavior are of great significance for optimizing the device natures. In this work, the modification and control of iron phthalocyanine (FePc) molecular orientation on Si(111) are accomplished with the aid of high steady magnetic field at room temperature. The FePc films are grown in situ by organic molecular beam deposition on the Si(111) substrates under a high magnetic field strength of 8.5 T. The Si(111) substrates are preserved at room temperature and are kept perpendicular to the magnetic field. The influences of magnetic field on the molecular orientations and the morphologies of FePc thin films are investigated by X-ray diffraction, angle dependent near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS), Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). In the presence of the external magnetic field, the deposited FePc films each show a higher crystallinity and slightly closer packing in (002) plane than those without magnetic field. The AFM images verifies more ordered and uniform morphologies of the FePc films grown in the magnetic field. NEXAFS and Raman results both reveale a standing-up configuration of FePc molecules on the Si(111) substrate surface. The average tilting angle of the molecules changes from 63.6 to 67.1 when 8.5 T magnetic field is employed. The results demonstrate that the external high magnetic field distinctly enhances the orientation order of FePc molecules on Si(111) surface due to the magnetic-magnetic interactions between the magnetic field and the molecular magnetic moment. This work also demonstrates that external magnetic field is an efficient means to regulate the orientation and stacking behavior of magnetic molecules, which may open a new way to optimize the performances of the organic semiconductor devices.

Establishing resolution-improved NMR spectroscopy in high magnetic fields with unknown spatiotemporal variations.

A half-century quest for higher magnetic fields has been an integral part of the progress undergone in the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) study of materials' structure and dynamics. Because 2D NMR relies on systematic changes in coherences' phases as a function of an encoding time varied over a series of independent experiments, it generally cannot be applied in temporally unstable fields. This precludes most NMR methods from being used to characterize samples situated in hybrid or resistive magnets that are capable of achieving extremely high magnetic field strength. Recently, "ultrafast" NMR has been developed into an effective and widely applicable methodology enabling the acquisition of a multidimensional NMR spectrum in a single scan; it can therefore be used to partially mitigate the effects of temporally varying magnetic fields. Nevertheless, the strong interference of fluctuating fields with the spatial encoding of ultrafast NMR still severely restricts measurement sensitivity and resolution. Here, we introduce a strategy for obtaining high resolution NMR spectra that exploits the immunity of intermolecular zero-quantum coherences (iZQCs) to field instabilities and inhomogeneities. The spatial encoding of iZQCs is combined with a J-modulated detection scheme that removes the influence of arbitrary field inhomogeneities during acquisition. This new method can acquire high-resolution one-dimensional NMR spectra in large inhomogeneous and fluctuating fields, and it is tested with fields experimentally modeled to mimic those of resistive and resistive-superconducting hybrid magnets.

Dipole Field Navigation: Theory and Proof of Concept

To achieve the effective navigation of microscale agents in the vascular network, a high magnetic field strength with high directional magnetic gradients are required. So far, the methods that have been investigated support only one of these specifications but not both. Here, we propose a new method dubbed dipole field navigation (DFN) that provides high field strength to bring magnetic agents at saturation magnetization with gradients exceeding 300 mT/m at any depth within the human body. For DFN, the high field strength is achieved by placing the patient in the tunnel of a clinical MRI scanner, while high gradients are generated by the distortions of the scanner's homogeneous field from larger ferromagnetic cores placed at specific locations outside the patient. The main challenge of DFN lies in the methods that are required to adequately place the cores in the tunnel. Here, a first method is presented to solve the inverse magnetic problem of positioning such a set of cores so that microscale agents could be guided through a desired path in the vascular network. As a first proof of concept, magnetic particles were steered successfully in three consecutive bifurcations in a 3-D in vitro network.

Solid-State 87Sr NMR Spectroscopy at Natural Abundance and High Magnetic Field Strength.

Twenty-five strontium-containing solids were characterized via (87)Sr NMR spectroscopy at natural abundance and high magnetic field strength (B0 = 21.14 T). Strontium nuclear quadrupole coupling constants in these compounds are sensitive to the strontium site symmetry and range from 0 to 50.5 MHz. An experimental (87)Sr chemical shift scale is proposed, and available data indicate a chemical shift range of approximately 550 ppm, from -200 to +350 ppm relative to Sr(2+)(aq). In general, magnetic shielding increased with strontium coordination number. Experimentally measured chemical shift anisotropy is reported for stationary samples of solid powdered SrCl2·6H2O, SrBr2·6H2O, and SrCO3, with δaniso((87)Sr) values of +28, +26, and -65 ppm, respectively. NMR parameters were calculated using CASTEP, a gauge including projector augmented wave (GIPAW) DFT-based program, which addresses the periodic nature of solids using plane-wave basis sets. Calculated NMR parameters are in good agreement with those measured.

Assessing Cortical Cerebral Microinfarcts on High Resolution MR Images.

Cerebral microinfarcts are frequent findings in the post-mortem human brain, and are related to cognitive decline and dementia. Due to their small sizes it is challenging to study them on clinical MRI scans. It was recently demonstrated that cortical microinfarcts can be depicted with MRI scanners using high magnetic field strengths (7T). Based on this experience, a proportion of these lesions is also visible on lower resolution 3T MRI. These findings were corroborated with ex vivo imaging of post-mortem human brain tissue, accompanied by histopathological verification of possible cortical microinfarcts. Here an ex vivo imaging protocol is presented, for the purpose of validating MR observed cerebral microvascular pathology with histological evaluation. Furthermore, guidelines are provided for the assessment of cortical microinfarcts on both in vivo 7T and 3T MR images. These guidelines provide researchers with a tool to rate cortical microinfarcts on in vivo images of larger patient samples, to further unravel their clinical relevance in cognitive decline and dementia, and establish these lesions as a novel biomarker of cerebral small vessel disease.