The laboratory of Prof. T. Meersmann is fully equipped for the production of hyperpolarized gasses (i.e. optical pumping). The optical pumping equipment consists of two 30 Watt diode array laser from Coherent that can be either used independently or combined for high pumping efficiency. The rest of the equipment is largely custom-build and provides currently xenon-spin polarizations of up to 20% in continuous flow mode. The setup is mobile and its high flexibility allows for a variety of different operation modes from the ‘closed loop circular setup’ to the latest high-density optical pumping experiments. High xenon density optical pumping is for instance applied for in situ NMR of combustion, a novelty that has recently been introduced by the Meersmann group. Unique custom made probes for these high temperature experiments are available and refinements are currently under construction.

The NMR equipment used for the optical pumping research consists of a 400 MHz (proton frequency), wide-bore (89 mm) NMR Oxford magnet with high field homogeneity ( i.e. less than 1 Hz for protons at 10 mm sample tubes) and a 400 MHz Chemagnetics spectrometer with gradient interface. The spectrometer is fully capable for NMR measurements on any nuclei at 400 MHz field strength.

The gradient amplifiers and the gradient stack for imaging and diffusion experiments will be installed in May/June 2003. The system will produce up to 720 G/cm z-gradients and 120 G/cm x- and y gradients. This will allow for diffusion measurements on samples with very small diffusion constants and it will enable the investigation of single file diffusion phenomena. The system has been financed by an NSF CAREER grant.

Additional NMR equipment is available in the group of Prof. Gary Maciel who as been building up a regional NMR center in the past 25 years at CSU. The Prof. Meersmann will take responsibility over this equipment (hiring contract) upon retirement of Prof. Maciel and has substantial access to it at present. The instrumentation includes a 600 MHz narrow-bore solid-state/high resolution Chemagnetics infinity two channel system; a 360 MHz triple-channel solid-state Chemagnetics system and a 200 MHz as well as a 100 MHz two channel solid-state Chemagnetics spectrometer.