A system for NMR stark spectroscopy of quadrupolar nuclei.

Electrostatic influences on NMR parameters are well accepted. Experimental and computational routes have been long pursued to understand and utilize such Stark effects. However, existing approaches are largely indirect informants on electric fields, and/or are complicated by multiple causal factors in spectroscopic change. We present a system to directly measure quadrupolar Stark effects from an applied electric (E) field. Our apparatus and applications are relevant in two contexts. Each uses a radiofrequency (rf) E field at twice the nuclear Larmor frequency (2omega(0)). The mechanism is a distortion of the E-field gradient tensor that is linear in the amplitude (E(0)) of the rf E field. The first uses 2omega(0) excitation of double-quantum transitions for times similar to T(1) (the longitudinal spin relaxation time). This perturbs the steady state distribution of spin population. Nonlinear analysis versus E(0) can be used to determine the Stark response rate. The second context uses POWER (perturbations observed with enhanced resolution) NMR. Here, coherent, short-time (<<T(2), the transverse relaxation rate) excitation at 2omega(0) is synchronized with an NMR multiple-pulse line-narrowing sequence. Linear analysis of the Stark response is then possible: a quadrupolar multiplet with splitting proportional to E(0). The POWER sequence converts the 2omega(0) interaction from off-diagonal/nonsecular to the familiar diagonal form (I(z)(2)) of static quadrupole interactions. Meanwhile, background contributions to line width are averaged to zero, providing orders-of-magnitude resolution enhancement for correspondingly high sensitivity to the Stark effect. Using GaAs as a test case with well-defined Stark response, we provide the first demonstration of the 2omega(0) effect at high-field (14.1 T) and room temperature. This, along with the simplicity of our apparatus and spectral approach, may facilitate extensions to a wider array of material and molecular systems. The POWER context, which has not previously been tested, is detailed here with new design insights. Several key aspects are demonstrated here, while complete implementation is to be presented at a later time. At present, we (1) account for finite pulse times in pulse sequence design, (2) demonstrate two-channel phase coherence for magnetic (omega(0)) and electric (2omega(0)) excitation, and (3) provide line narrowing by a factor of 10(3). In addition, we find that certain anomalous contributions to the line shape, observed in previous low-field (250 mT) applications, are absent here.