The Centre is equipped with five spectrometers spanning 950 to 600 MHz. The instruments are equipped with cryogenically-cooled probes for either 1H/13C/15N or 1H/13C/15N/31P multiple-resonance experiments with pulsed-field gradients and deuterium decoupling. A variety of Linux workstations are available (with appropriate software) for data processing and structure calculations. Laboratory facilities are available to external users for preparation of samples.

(i) Bruker Avance Neo 950

This instrument has a shielded sub-cooled 22.3T magnet with 54 mm room-temperature bore, and a 5 mm 1H/13C/15N cryoprobe. The cryoprobe has cooled preamplifiers for all three of these nuclei, and the 1H channel is tunable to 19F, so we are able to carry out 19F-observe experiments. The console is equipped with dual receivers.

(ii) Bruker Avance III HD 800

This spectrometer was equipped with a shielded Bruker 4.2 K magnet as part of our relocation to the new Crick building. The magnet is coupled to a Bruker console and cryoprobe that were first installed at Mill Hill in 2013. The spectrometer has four RF channels and single-axis pulsed field gradients; it is equipped with a cooled automatic sample-changer (Bruker SampleJet). The cryoprobe is a 5mm 1H/13C/15N triple-resonance probe with cooled preamplifiers for all three channels. Like the 950, the 1H channel is tunable to 19F.

(iii) Bruker Avance III HD 700 #1

Scheduled use of this instrument started at Mill Hill in May 2007. This spectrometer consists of a Bruker shielded magnet and an Avance HD four-channel console, together with a 5mm 1H/31P/13C/15N quadruple-resonance PFG cryoprobe with cooled 13C and 31P preamplifiers. A Bruker SampleJet automatic sample-changer was added to this spectrometer in November 2011. 19F-observe experiments are also possible on this instrument. This instrument is equipped with dual receivers.

(iv) Bruker Avance III HD 700 #2

This spectrometer was acquired as part of the Centre’s relocation to the new Crick building. It consists of a Bruker shielded magnet and an Avance HD four-channel console, together with a 5mm 1H/13C/15N triple-resonance PFG cryoprobe with cooled 13C and 15N preamplifiers. It is equipped with dual receivers and has a SampleJet automatic sample-changer. 19F-observe experiments are also possible on this instrument.  Accessories for biological solid-state NMR were added to this instrument in 2020.  The new capability includes two triple-resonance CP-MAS probes, one for 3.2mm rotors and the other for ultrafast (up to 67KHz) MAS with 1.3mm rotors.

(iii) Bruker Avance III 600

This 600 MHz spectrometer is made up of a Bruker Avance II+ console from our Mill Hill instrument together with a replacement shielded Bruker magnet.  The console has been part-upgraded and is functionally equivalent to an Avance III.  The spectrometer is equipped with a 5mm 1H/13C/15N triple-resonance PFG cryoprobe and has a 24-position cooled sample-changer (Bruker SampleCase).  This probe has a cryo-cooled 13C preamplifier, which makes it suitable for experiments that involve direct detection of signals from 13C nuclei.  In addition, a 4mm HR-MAS probe is available for studies of biological tissues.  Access to the 600 MHz instrument is primarily intended for internal users.