Graphical programming for broadband pulse NMR spectroscopy

In a broadband pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer we often need to sweep the excitation frequency over a wide range, and acquire the spin echo components in quadrature for further spectral analysis. Computer languages such as C or Pascal have been traditionally applied to the development of software control of laboratory equipment, and consequently, the automatization of NMR experiments. However, the use of graphical languages have proved to be a flexible and convenient way for experiment and data acquisition control. In our application we use the graphical language Labview for the automatic control of a broadband pulse NMR spectrometer, dedicated to the study of magnetic metal systems. (author)