Maximizing spectral sensitivity without compromising resolution in phase-incremented, steady-state solution NMR

Abstract NMR acquisitions based on Ernst-angle excitations are widely used for maximizing spectral sensitivity without compromising bandwidth or resolution. However, if relaxation times T1, T2 are long and similar, as is often the case in liquids, steady-state free-precession (SSFP) experiments coul...

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Main Authors: Mark Shif, Yuval Zur, Adonis Lupulescu, Tian He, Elton T. Montrazi, Lucio Frydman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61215-0
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author Mark Shif
Yuval Zur
Adonis Lupulescu
Tian He
Elton T. Montrazi
Lucio Frydman
author_facet Mark Shif
Yuval Zur
Adonis Lupulescu
Tian He
Elton T. Montrazi
Lucio Frydman
author_sort Mark Shif
collection DOAJ
description Abstract NMR acquisitions based on Ernst-angle excitations are widely used for maximizing spectral sensitivity without compromising bandwidth or resolution. However, if relaxation times T1, T2 are long and similar, as is often the case in liquids, steady-state free-precession (SSFP) experiments could provide higher sensitivity per $${\sqrt{\rm{acquisition}}\_{\rm{time}}}$$ acquisition _ time (SNRt). Although strong offset dependencies and poor spectral resolutions have impeded SSFP’s analytical applications, this study reexplores if, when and how can phase-incremented (PI) SSFP schemes overcome these drawbacks. It is found that PI-SSFP can indeed provide a superior SNRt than Ernst-angle FT-NMR acquisitions, but that achieving this requires using relatively large flip angles. This, however, can restrict PI-SSFP’s spectral resolution and lead to distorted line shapes; to deal with this we introduce here a new SSFP outlook that overcomes this dichotomy. This outlook also leads to a new processing pipeline for PI-SSFP acquisitions, providing high spectral resolution even when utilizing relatively the large flip angles. The enhanced SNRt that the ensuing method can provide over FT-based NMR counterparts, is demonstrated with a series of 13C and 15N investigations on organic compounds.
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spelling doaj-art-43daf5d1d3fa4daea61a145b5feeba852025-08-20T04:01:36ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111110.1038/s41467-025-61215-0Maximizing spectral sensitivity without compromising resolution in phase-incremented, steady-state solution NMRMark Shif0Yuval Zur1Adonis Lupulescu2Tian He3Elton T. Montrazi4Lucio Frydman5Chemical and Biological Physics Department, Weizmann InstituteInsightec LtdChemical and Biological Physics Department, Weizmann InstituteChemical and Biological Physics Department, Weizmann InstituteChemical and Biological Physics Department, Weizmann InstituteChemical and Biological Physics Department, Weizmann InstituteAbstract NMR acquisitions based on Ernst-angle excitations are widely used for maximizing spectral sensitivity without compromising bandwidth or resolution. However, if relaxation times T1, T2 are long and similar, as is often the case in liquids, steady-state free-precession (SSFP) experiments could provide higher sensitivity per $${\sqrt{\rm{acquisition}}\_{\rm{time}}}$$ acquisition _ time (SNRt). Although strong offset dependencies and poor spectral resolutions have impeded SSFP’s analytical applications, this study reexplores if, when and how can phase-incremented (PI) SSFP schemes overcome these drawbacks. It is found that PI-SSFP can indeed provide a superior SNRt than Ernst-angle FT-NMR acquisitions, but that achieving this requires using relatively large flip angles. This, however, can restrict PI-SSFP’s spectral resolution and lead to distorted line shapes; to deal with this we introduce here a new SSFP outlook that overcomes this dichotomy. This outlook also leads to a new processing pipeline for PI-SSFP acquisitions, providing high spectral resolution even when utilizing relatively the large flip angles. The enhanced SNRt that the ensuing method can provide over FT-based NMR counterparts, is demonstrated with a series of 13C and 15N investigations on organic compounds.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61215-0
spellingShingle Mark Shif
Yuval Zur
Adonis Lupulescu
Tian He
Elton T. Montrazi
Lucio Frydman
Maximizing spectral sensitivity without compromising resolution in phase-incremented, steady-state solution NMR
Nature Communications
title Maximizing spectral sensitivity without compromising resolution in phase-incremented, steady-state solution NMR
title_full Maximizing spectral sensitivity without compromising resolution in phase-incremented, steady-state solution NMR
title_fullStr Maximizing spectral sensitivity without compromising resolution in phase-incremented, steady-state solution NMR
title_full_unstemmed Maximizing spectral sensitivity without compromising resolution in phase-incremented, steady-state solution NMR
title_short Maximizing spectral sensitivity without compromising resolution in phase-incremented, steady-state solution NMR
title_sort maximizing spectral sensitivity without compromising resolution in phase incremented steady state solution nmr
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61215-0
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