2004 Photos of the Month
December
The American Institute of Physics’ “Physics News Update” features our recent search for boost-dependent Lorentz and CPT violation involving the neutron.
We are very close to imaging human lungs after a human subject has inhaled laser-polarized helium gas. These studies are being carried out in collaboration with researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, using a clinical GE 1.5 T Signa scanner. As Principal Investigator, Ron got to be the first trial subject. At left, above, he is inhaling regular helium gas so his blood oxygenation level can be measured during a breathhold, allowing us to check the subject’s blood oxygen level remains at a safe value during the proposed experiments. At right, Ron is in the MRI magnet, as the chest coil is being tuned and optimized.
Leo Tsai has completed construction of the 3-axis planar gradient panels for the second-generation very-low-field imaging magnet. These photos were taken from within the RF shielded room which is installed in the Walsworth Lab, room PG07 at the Center for Astrophysics. At left, the entire support frame can be seen with the two aluminium flanges that form each side of the magnet, and each contain main field and field gradient coils. The main field will be generated from the largest (2 m diameter) coils on the flange. At right, a close-up of the x, y and z axis gradient coils mounted on one flange. The system will form the core of our new open-access, human scale, very-low-field MRI system for orientational studies of human lung function.
September
The second-generation low-field imaging magnet and its shielded room have now been installed in the Walsworth Lab, room PG07 at the Center for Astrophysics. The new magnet can be seen on its frame, inside the shielded room, with extra floor space out the front for placement of the 250 kHz NMR imaging console and helium polarizer. The system will form the core of our new open-access, human scale, very-low-field MRI system for orientational studies of human lung function.
August
(left) Leo getting ready to put the final windings on the second 2-meter coil that will be used to generate the applied magnetic field for our 2nd-generation very-low-field human MRI system. The first completed coil is already on the support frame behind him. (right) The two coils on their support frame. The coils will carry up to 60 Amps, and generate a uniform field of up to 100 Gauss.
Sasha Zibrov (Harvard University) and Irina Novikova are checking on the status of a ring cavity in its new house. This setup will be used for the experiments on quantum information storage and quantum memory.
July
Visiting scientist Sergey Zibrov (Moscow State Engineering Physics Institute, Russia) is adjusting optics for the experiment on three-photon resonances in Rb vapor and their application for atomic standards
The 4.7 T 89 mm vertical bore superconducting NMR magnet in the Atomic and Molecular Physics lab, PG07. The magnet is being cooled to liquid helium temperatures, and its cryostat, which holds the superconducting coil that generates the magnetic field is being filled with liquid helium. After temperature stabilization, the coil will be superconducting, and will be ready for current charging to generate a field of 4.7 T. The magnet will accomodate samples up to 30 mm for NMR imaging and spectroscopy experiments, when interfaced to a Bruker AMX2 electronics console. The NMR system will be used in our granular media studies, as well as potential collaborations in condensed matter studies with Harvard Physics.
May
Leo applying thermally-conductive epoxy to aluminium coil frames in order to mount these on 2-meter diameter solid aluminum flanges. The electrical coils that will generate the applied magnetic field in the second generation human low-field imaging system will then be wound on these supports. The imager will be used in our human orientational lung imaging project.
April
Matt standing beside the 2-meter diameter solid aluminum flanges that will support the electrical coils that will generate the applied magnetic field in the second generation human low-field imaging system for our human orientational lung imaging project.
March
Research initiated by the Walsworth group to design an open-access very-low-field human MRI system to permit orientation human lung imaging is reported in NewScientist and PhysicsWeb.