Operation of a 930-MHz High-Resolution NMR Magnet at TML

Abstract

A 920-MHz high-resolution NMR spectrometer has been operating at the Tsukuba Magnet Laboratory (TML) since April 2002. It has proved its effectiveness by determining the 3-D structures of protein molecules. To accelerate studies in structural biology and solid-state NMR, a second high-field NMR magnet was developed and installed at TML. Although its basic design was the same as that of the first magnet, some improvements were made. For the innermost coil, a 16%Sn-bronze-processed (Nb,Ti)/sub 3/Sn conductor was employed. The increase in the critical current density above that of a 15%Sn-bronze-processed (Nb,Ti)/sub 3/Sn conductor made it possible to reduce the conductor size from 3.5 mm /spl times/ 1.75 mm in the first magnet to 2.80 mm /spl times/ 1.83 mm in the second. At the same operating current of the first magnet, the second magnet is expected to operate at 930 MHz. The liquid helium reservoir and the superfluid helium cooler, which were separated in the first system, were united in the same chamber in the new magnet. The latter magnet was energized up to 21.9 T without quenching in March 2004 and has operated in a persistent-mode at that field. It will be utilized mainly for solid-state NMR measurements.