Feedback optimization of pulse width in the SORC sequence.

A method for increasing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurements by automatically adjusting a pulse parameter in real-time is presented. This approach is useful in situations where the optimal pulse parameters cannot be chosen beforehand due to lack of knowledge regarding the system. For example, NQR provides a means for detecting explosives by revealing the presence of (14)N. In this particular application, the distance between the search coil and the explosive, as well as the temperature of the explosive, is unknown. As a result, a fixed set of pulse parameters will not yield the largest SNR for all possible search applications. This paper describes a feedback algorithm that uses measurements of the NQR signal to automatically adjust the pulse width in the strong off-resonant comb sequence to maximize the SNR of the NQR measurement. Experimental results obtained using a sample of sodium nitrite are presented. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.