International audienceTRansmit Array Spatial Encoding (TRASE) MRI uses trains of B1 pulses alternatively produced by distinct transmit coils. Commonly used coil switching involving PIN diodes is too slow for low-field MRI and would introduce wait times between pulses typically as long as each individual pulse (hence, significant diffusion-induced resolution loss in TRASE MRI of gas samples). A MOSFET-based RF switch is described and characterised. Up to 200 kHz, it allows for sub-µs switching of RF currents from a single amplifier to several coils with sufficient isolation ratio and no delay between pulses

Bidinosti, C,

Kumaragamage, S

Nacher, P.-J

Tastevin, G.

English

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A Fast MOSFET RF Switch for TRASE MRI at Low Magnetic Field

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A Fast MOSFET RF Switch for TRASE MRI at Low
Magnetic Field
P.-J Nacher, S Kumaragamage, G. Tastevin, C Bidinosti
To cite this version:
P.-J Nacher, S Kumaragamage, G. Tastevin, C Bidinosti. A Fast MOSFET RF Switch for TRASE
MRI at Low Magnetic Field. Joint annual meeting ISMRM-ESMRMB 2018, Proc. of the Intl. Soc.
Mag. Reson. Med., Jun 2018, Paris, France. pp.1699. ￿hal-02366385￿
A Fast MOSFET RF Switch for TRASE MRI at Low Magnetic Field 
Type: Poster 
P.-J. Nacher1, S. Kumaragamage2,3, G. Tastevin1, C.P. Bidinosti2;  
Synopsis 
TRansmit Array Spatial Encoding (TRASE) MRI uses trains of B1 pulses alternatively produced by 
distinct transmit coils. Commonly used coil switching involving PIN diodes is too slow for low-field 
MRI and would introduce wait times between pulses typically as long as each individual pulse (hence, 
significant diffusion-induced resolution loss in TRASE MRI of gas samples). A MOSFET-based RF switch 
is described and characterised. Up to 200 kHz, it allows for sub-µs switching of RF currents from a 
single amplifier to several coils with sufficient isolation ratio and no delay between pulses. 
Introduction 
TRansmit Array Spatial Encoding (TRASE) is a MRI method using repeated pulses of radiofrequency 
(RF) B1 fields from different phase-gradient transmit coils instead of the standard imaging gradients 
of B0 to manage spatial encoding.
1,2 An evaluation of the benefits and limitations of TRASE MRI at low
field (a few mT) is under way using hyperpolarised gas samples.3,4 Fast switching between two or 
more transmit coils with sufficient isolation and negligible wait time between pulses is required to 
jointly reduce the total RF encoding time and the RF peak power. PIN diodes are often used for coil 
switching,2 but bias control with RF isolation involves response times (several RF periods) which are 
too slow for the targeted low-frequency application. 
Methods 
Switching times (delays and jitter) have been inferred from datasheet or measured for different 
mechanical switches (MEMS, reed or standard relays). Bidirectional MOSFET switch prototypes, with 
floating and optically isolated gate control, have been designed and wired (Figs. 1 and 2). Electrical 
tests have been performed using different RF power amplifiers (a 250-W-peak, BT00250-Alpha A 
model, Tomco Technologies, and a 100-W-CW in-house linear amplifier), different loads (a 50-Ω 
resistive load or tuned and untuned transmit coils), and different frequencies (in the range DC – 200 
kHz). An Apollo Tecmag console (low-frequency LF1 model), allowing for 100 ns time resolution of 
sequence events, was used to manage RF pulses and TTL signals to control switches. RF currents 
were recorded using a 4-channels digital oscilloscope by monitoring the voltage drop across a 1-Ω 
resistor inserted on the ground return line at the output of the RF amplifier. 
This is the peer reviewed version of the abstract n° 2874  which can be found in final form in: 
Proc. of the Intl. Soc. Mag. Reson. Med. 26 (2018) 1699
Abstract 2874 
1 Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS-Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France, Paris, France 2 Department of Physics, University 
of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada 3 Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Figure 1: Schematic drawing of the MOSFET switches used for low-frequency TRASE MRI. Two of the 
three identical channels are displayed. On the right-hand side, independent DC-DC converters (Conv.) 
are used as floating 12-V power supplies of the gate control circuits. On the left-hand side, 
optocouplers (OC) are used to isolate the TTL control inputs from the power MOSFETS QA and QB 
which act as bipolar switches between terminals SA and SB. 
Figure 2: Photograph of a prototype MOSFET switch with 3 independent channels (see Fig. 1). The 
tested components are: IK0512SA or ISE1212A (Conv.), HCPL2201 (OC), and IRF840 or IRF730 (QA, 
QB). 
Results 
Switching times of mechanical relays range from 10 µs (for MR- compatible MEMS [5]) to several ms. 
Fast reed relays are widely available and economical, can be operated in the vicinity of low-field MR 
systems, and have close/release times of 0.15/0.1 ms for typical carry currents of 1 A, while 
miniature relays with 4-A carry currents have typical switching times of 1 ms. The MOSFET switch  of 
Fig. 2 (with IRF 840, up to 32 A) has switching times below 1 µs.  It has a low ON impedance (about 1 
Ohm) and a frequency-dependent OFF impedance, consistent with a 500 pF capacitance. This usually 
provides efficient RF current switching, both on a resistive load (Fig. 3) and on transmit coils (various 
situations have been evaluated and will be reported). A small RF interference due to the operation of 
DC-DC converters is sometimes observed, but a suitable choice of the component eliminates the 
problem (different components operate at different switching frequencies). 
Figure 3: Current driven in a 50-Ohm resistive load through the MOSFET switch by a 50-V-peak-to-
peak voltage (QA, QB: IRF840). The control TTL signal is applied at t=0 for 18 RF periods (frequency: 
83.682 kHz, period: 12.950µs). In the OFF state, the current is reduced by a factor 50, and 
corresponds to an impedance of the gate Z=3.3 kOhm, i.e. a capacitance C=580 pF. 
Discussion/Conclusion 
Although magnetically actuated relays provide an excellent switching efficiency and can be operated 
in low-field MR systems, their slow response times, on the same order as the duration of individual 
B1 pulses in TRASE sequences (typically 10-20 RF periods around 100 kHz [3]), introduce significant 
wait times during encoding pulse trains. This may result in prohibitive diffusion-induced resolution 
loss in gas samples, and acceleration through the use of shorter RF pulses is impractical due to Bloch-
Siegert shifts and to the influence of concomitant RF fields [6]. MOSFET-based switches eliminate 
wait times and RF pulse currents can be switched to different transmit coils with sufficient isolation 
ratio and no delay between pulses. A choice of the MOSFET components can be made to achieve a 
suitable compromise between reducing the OFF-state capacitance and managing the required RF 
voltage and current. 
References 
[1] JC Sharp et al., Magn Reson Med 63:151 (2010); NMR Biomed, 26: 1602 (2013).  
[2] Q Deng et al., Magn Reson Imaging 31:891 (2013). 
[3] PJ Nacher et al., Proc ESMRMB15, Magn.  Reson. Mater. Phy. 28 Suppl.  1 (2015) p. S64. 
[4] S Kumaragamage et al., Proc ESMRMB16, Magn.  Reson. Mater. Phy. 29 Suppl.  1 (2015) p. S34. 
[5] D Spence and M Aimi, Proc Intl Soc Mag Reson Med. (2015) 23:704. 
[6] CP Bidinosti et al, this conference. 
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A Fast MOSFET RF Switch for TRASE MRI at Low Magnetic Field

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