Microsample Cryogenic Probes: Technology and Applications

This review provides a summary of cryogenic NMR probes, with a special emphasis on small volume, high-temperature superconducting (HTS) probes. We provide a short historical overview of the development of cryogenic systems and HTS probes and show why these provide improvements in NMR sensitivity. We discuss design considerations in HTS probe technology, with an emphasis on technology available for biomedical applications. Existing microsample cryogenic probes are reviewed, and some experimental considerations for optimal performance of these probes are provided. We end with a brief review of research that has utilized HTS probes to demonstrate the impact that these probes can have on biomedical applications.