A high-resolution NMR probe in which the coil and preamplifier are cooled with liquid helium

In a well designed NMR spectrometer, the noise originates predominantly from the resistance of the receiver coil. Significant improvements in sensitivity can be achieved by cooling the coil to cryogenic temperatures, provided that a preamplifier can be designed to match the coil's performance. A probe is described in which the coil and preamplifier are cooled with liquid helium, but the sample is maintained at room temperature. Carbon-l3 spectra at 45 MHz demonstrate improved sensitivity over conventional probes at the same field.