An overview of the NMR spectrometer

In many locations, it is advantageous to mount the whole of the magnet assembly on a vibration damping system as floor vibrations (which may arise from a whole host of sources including natural floor resonances, air conditioners, movement in the laboratory and so on) can have deleterious effects on spectra, notably around the base of resonances (Fig. 3.3). Whilst such artefacts have lesser significance to routine ID observations, they may severely interfere with the detection of signals present at low levels, for example those in hetero-nuclear correlation or nuclear Overhauser effect experiments. 

Various optional peripherals may also be added to the instrument, such as variable temperature units that allow sample temperature regulation within the probe, robotic sample changers and so on. The coupling of NMR with other analytical techniques such as HPLC has become an established method through the development of flow probes and gained popularity in certain areas. The need for this will obviously depend on the type of samples handled and the nature of the experiments employed. 

This section examines some of the spectrometer procedures that relate to the collection, digitisation and computational manipulation of NMR data, including some of the fundamental parameters that define the way in which data are acquired. Such technicalities may 

---