Abstract: A system for detecting a target substance within a class of explosives and narcotics containing quadrupolar nuclei through the use of nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR). The system applies an RF signal to a coil (34) to excite the substance under test. If the target material is present, an NQR signal will be picked up by the same coil, That signal is compared with known NQR signals in frequency and amplitude. A signal is displayed in an appropriate way if a threshold value of the NQR signal is equalled or exceeded. The empty coil is statically tuned by means of adjusting the location or capacitance values, or both, of static tuning capacitors (102) in the coil. The coil is tuned after the specimen is inserted into the coil by means of an auto-tune feature (36). Effective RFI shielding (37) is provided to prevent external contaminating signals from being detected by the coil and to prevent RF signals from escaping from the scanner. The invention also includes the method for performing tests with the system.

Abstract: A system for detecting a target substance within a class of explosives and narcotics containing quadrupolar nuclei through the use of nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR). The system applies an RF signal to a coil to excite the substance under test. If the target material is present, an NQR signal will be picked up by the same coil. That signal is compared with known NQR signals in frequency and amplitude. A signal is displayed in an appropriate way if a threshold value of the NQR signal is equalled or exceeded. The coil is tuned by means of an auto-tune feature. Effective RFI shielding is provided to prevent external contaminating signals from being detected by the coil and to prevent RF signals from escaping from the scanner. The invention also includes the method for performing tests with the system.

Abstract: A method of NQR testing a sample having at least one NQR property which varies with a given environmental parameter comprises applying excitation to the sample to excite NQR resonance and detecting the NQR response signal. The excitation is such as to excite an NQR response signal which is detectable during the detection step over a predetermined range of the environmental parameter. The invention also relates to a method of, and apparatus for, NQR testing for the presence of selected nuclei (particularly nuclei of integral spin quantum number, such as .sup.14 N) in a sample. It also relates to a method of determining the spatial distribution of temperature within a sample.

Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of a substance in a heterogeneous sample or article (i.e., a contraband substance) in a magnetic field includes establishing a level-crossing condition (B.sub.LC) for the substance to be detected for a set time (t.sub.b), and subsequently measuring nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals to detect some consequence of the level-crossing condition. A saturating signal is applied at the begining of each cyclic test. Apparatus for detecting the presence of predetermined substances is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance testing includes the steps of applying to a sample in which selected nuclei have an integral spin quantum number a series of at least three pulses of electromagnetic waves at a single radiofrequency to excite quadrupole resonance of the selected nuclei, and detecting responses at a plurality of times when echo response signals are expected to occur.

Abstract: A method for detecting the presence within a larger article of a specific substance containing quadrupolar atomic nuclei includes performing tests of parts of the article by placing the article adjacent to an array of coils (10), energizing with an rf source (20) the coils (10) in periods within a cyclic sequence to irradiate parts of the article with rf pulses of one or more frequencies at or close to a resonant frequency of quadrupolar atomic nuclei within the substance to be detected, connecting the coils (10) in other periods within the cyclic sequence to a phase-sensitive detecting and measuring circuit (15, 24-26) to measure response signals due to nuclear quadrupole resonances, and summing the response signals detected at corresponding instants over a number of cyclic sequences. Apparatus for detecting the presence of a specific substance analogous to the above method is also disclosed.