Superconductor RF Coil Array

Abstract

A superconducting RF coil array which may be used in whole body MRI scanners and/or in dedicated MRI systems. Some embodiments provide a superconducting RF coil array for at least one of receiving signals from and transmitting signals to a sample during magnetic resonance analysis of the sample, the superconducting RF coil array comprising a thermally conductive member configured to be cryogenically cooled, and a plurality of coils elements comprising superconducting material, wherein each coil element is thermally coupled to the thermally conductive member and is configured for at least one of (i) receiving a magnetic resonance signal from a spatial region that is contiguous with and/or overlaps a spatial region from which at least one other of the plurality of coil elements is configured to receive a signal and (ii) transmitting a radiofrequency signal to a spatial region that is contiguous with and/or overlaps a spatial region to which at least one other of the plurality coil elements is configured to transmit a radiofrequency signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A superconducting RF coil array for receiving signals from a sample during magnetic resonance analysis of the sample, the superconducting RF coil array comprising:
 a thermally conductive member configured to be cryogenically cooled;   a plurality of coils elements each comprising a high temperature superconducting coil, wherein each coil element is thermally coupled to said thermally conductive member and is configured to provide a respective electrical channel for receiving a magnetic resonance signal from a spatial region that is contiguous with and/or overlaps a spatial region from which at least one other of the plurality of coil elements is configured to receive a signal; and   wherein the high temperature superconducting coils of neighboring coil elements are separate with respect to electrical conductivity and partially overlap spatially.   
     
     
         2 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 1 , wherein the high temperature superconducting coil of each coil element comprises a thin film high temperature superconducting coil, and each coil element comprises the thin film high temperature superconducting coil disposed on a thermally conductive substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 2 , wherein the thermally conductive substrate comprises at least one of alumina and sapphire, and said thermally conductive member is an alumina or sapphire plate. 
     
     
         4 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 2 , wherein the thermally conductive substrate of each coil element is directly or indirectly thermally coupled to said thermally conductive member. 
     
     
         5 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 4 , wherein a plurality of the thermally conductive substrates are each directly thermally coupled to said thermally conductive member, and each of at least one other of said thermally conductive substrates is indirectly and not directly thermally coupled to said thermally conductive member. 
     
     
         6 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 5 , wherein each of said at least one other thermally conductive substrates is directly thermally coupled to at least one of the thermally conductive substrates that are directly thermally coupled to said thermally conductive member, thereby being indirectly thermally coupled to said thermally conductive member. 
     
     
         7 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 5 , wherein one or more of said at least one other thermally conductive substrates is thermally coupled to said thermally conductive member via a thermally conductive spacer member, thereby being indirectly thermally coupled to said thermally conductive member. 
     
     
         8 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 1 , wherein the high temperature superconducting coils of neighboring coil elements are disposed on or above a common surface of the thermally conductive member. 
     
     
         9 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 1 , wherein the high temperature superconducting coils of neighboring coil elements are disposed on or above opposing surfaces of the thermally conductive member. 
     
     
         10 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 1 , wherein the coil elements are configured as a linear array. 
     
     
         11 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 1 , wherein the coil elements are configured as a two-dimensional array. 
     
     
         12 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 1 , wherein each coil element comprises a thermally conductive substrate that is thermally coupled to (i) the high temperature superconducting coil of the coil element and (ii) said thermally conductive member. 
     
     
         13 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 12 , wherein the thermally conductive substrate of each coil element is configured as a generally cylindrical structure having an outer surface upon which the high temperature superconducting coil is disposed. 
     
     
         14 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of said coil elements is at least five. 
     
     
         15 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive member is configured as a generally cylindrical structure having an outer surface upon which said high temperature superconducting coils are disposed such that neighboring superconducting coils are displaced and overlap circumferentially about the cylindrically-shaped thermally conductive member. 
     
     
         16 . The superconducting RF coil array according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the coil elements is configured as a multiple resonance radiofrequency coil element operable to receive signals corresponding to different magnetic resonance frequencies at the same magnetic field.