SPECTROSCOPIC IMAGING OF SOLIDS BY DEUTERON MAGIC-ANGLE-SPINNING NMR

A novel solid-state NMR imaging method, which employs magic-angle spinning for averaging dipole-dipole couplings in order to get spatially highly resolved angular-dependent deuteron wideline spectra, is described. Compared with experiments on static samples, the spatial resolution is considerably improved, and structures of 50-mu-m can be recognized. The resolution is tested with a spectroscopic image of a layered phantom of dimethylsulfone recorded in a magnetic-field gradient applied along the spinner axis and compared with images of the static sample. The technique is demonstrated on a sample of polycarbonate and polystyrene, where different dipole-dipole couplings lead to enormous contrast.