NMR and the uncertainty principle: How to and how not to interpret homogeneous line broadening and pulse nonselectivity. II. The Fourier connection

Abstract

By building on the nomenclature introduced and the fundamental ideas discussed in Part I, I now continue my preliminary review of the basic concepts we need for exploring the issues surrounding the uncertainty principles in the context of our "Two NMR Problems" (namely: both the essense of homogeneous NMR line broadening, as well as the fact that a short monochromatic RF pulse exhibits a polychromatic spectral bandwidth, and consequently gives a broad off-resonance NMR excitation band, are often rationalized in terms of a superficial and/or misguided use of the "uncertainty principle"). To that end, in Part II, I discuss Fourier theory in a way that is hoped to offer a number of delicate, important, and interesting insights that are usually not readily available from more conventional texts. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.