• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.61-63
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• 2007

In high field (> 3 T) MR imaging, the magnetic field inhomogeneity in the target object increases due to the nonuniform electro-magnetic characteristics and relatively high Larmor frequency. Especially in the body imaging, the effect causes more serious problems resulting in locally high SAR(Specific Absorption Ratio). In this paper, we propose an optimized parallel-transmission RF coil element structure and show the utility of the coil by FDTD simulations to overcome the unwanted effects. Three types of TX coil elements are tested to maximize the efficiency and their driving patterns(amplitude and phase) optimized to have adequate field homogeneity, proper SAR level, and sufficient field strength. For the proposed coil element of 25 cm ${\times}$ 8 cm loop structure with 12 channels for a 3.0 T body coil, the 73% field non-uniformity without optimization was reduced to about 26% after optimization of driving patterns. The experimental as well as simulation results show the utility of the proposed parallel driving scheme is clinically useful for (ultra) high field MRI.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2008

To improve $B_1$ homogeneity in high field MRI, the RF power is applied to the transmit array coil elements sequentially in the time-multiplexed way. Since only a single coil element is activated in a time-multiplexing slot, the global standing wave formation in the human body is greatly suppressed. The time-multiplexing slot width is on the order of micro seconds, hence, high-order-harmonic slices can be placed far from the transmit coil and simultaneous multiple slice selection can be avoided. The $B_1$ homogeneities of a birdcage coil and an eight-channel transmit array coil have been compared through finite difference time domain simulations. The simulation results indicate that the proposed technique can reduce the peak-to-peak $B_1$ inhomogeneity down to one fourth of the transmission with a birdcage coil on the central plane of the human head model at 3 T. The mimicking experiments at 3 T, eight separate experiments with a single coil element activated and image reconstruction by combining the eight images, also show promising results. It is expected that the proposed technique has some advantages over other $B_1$ improving methods in real practice since simple RF switching circuitries are only necessary and electromagnetic coupling between the coil elements is out of concern in its realization.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.238-243
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• 2017

In this research, we report the preliminary results of an insertional type parallel transmission (pTx) array that has 7-elements that are placed in the space above a patient table as a transmit (Tx) coil to give an RF transmission ($B_1{^+}$) field for the body object of a 3 Tesla (T) MRI system. In previous research, we have tried to compare the performances of different coil elements and array geometries for a pTx body image. Based on these results, we attempt to obtain a human image with the proposed pTx array. Through the simulation and experimental results, we introduce a possible structure of multi-channel Tx array and verify the utility of a multi-channel Tx body image using $B_1{^+}$ shimming. The insertional pTx array, combined with a receiver (Rx) array coil, provides an enhanced $B_1{^+}$ field homogeneity in a large ROI image as a result of $B_1{^+}$ shimming applied over the full body size object. Through this research, we hope to determine the usefulness of the proposed insertional type RF coil combination for 3 T body imaging.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.44 no.4 s.316
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• pp.55-60
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• 2007

In high field (> 3 T) MR imaging, the magnetic field inhomogeneity in the target object increases due to the nonuniform electro-magnetic characteristics of the relatively high RF frequency. Especially in the body imaging, the effect causes more serious problems resulting in locally high SAR(Specific Absorption Ratio). In this paper, we propose an optimized parallel-transmission RF coil and show the utility of the coil by FDTD simulations to overcome the unwanted effects. Three types of TX coil elements are tested to maximize the efficiency and their driving patterns(amplitude and phase) optimized to have adequate field homogeneity, proper SAR level, and sufficient field strength. For the proposed coil element of $25cm{\times}8cm$ loop structure with 12 channels for a 3.0 T body coil, the field non-uniformity of more than 70% without optimization was reduced to about 26 % after the optimization of driving patterns. The experimental as well as simulation results show that the proposed parallel driving scheme is clinically useful for (ultra) high field MRI.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1010-1013
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• 2012

This paper demonstrates the use of the convex optimization to localize the transverse magnetic $B_1^+$ field in regions of interest for recently proposed multi-sectioned alternating impedance coils and the traditional transmission line coil. An approach based on different axial slices to identical RF coils except upper stripline structure is investigated. Electromagnetic simulation results are compared for RF coils and discussed in detail at 7.0 T.

• KEPCO Journal on Electric Power and Energy
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.85-91
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• 2015

We investigated the structure of inductive coupler and its magnetic coupling to increase the transmission coefficient for power line communication. A Rogowski coil, which is an air-cored inductive coupler, and a magnetic cored coupler were fabricated to analyze the transmission coefficient for different coupler parameters. This paper proposes the impedance matching method using lumped elements and an impedance transformer to increase the transmission coefficient. In the experiment, the transmission coefficient of the proposed system was increased in both narrowband and broadband cases, and a trade-off between the transmission coefficient and the bandwidth was shown. This method will be useful for the further study of impedance matching with the load variation.

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.66-66
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• 2007

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.96-100
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• 2012

In high static field magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) systems, $B_0$ fields of 7 T and 9.4 T, the impressed RF field shows larger inhomogeneity than in clinical MRI systems with B0 fields of 1.5 T and 3.0 T. In multi-channel RF coils, the magnitude and phase of the input to each coil element can be controlled independently to reduce the non-uniformity of the impressed RF $B_1^+$ field. The convex optimization technique has been used to obtain the optimum excitation parameters with iterative solutions for homogeneity in a selected ROI(Region of Interest). To demonstrate the technique, the multichannel transmission line coil was modeled together with a human head phantom at 400 MHz for the 9.4 T MRI system and $B_1^+$ fields are obtained. In this paper, all the optimized $B_1^+$ in each isolated ROIs are combined to achieve significantly improved homogeneity over the entire field of view. The simulation results for 9.4 T MRI systems are discussed in detail.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.23-27
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• 2018

As the wireless power transfer (WPT) technology based on strongly resonance coupled method realizes large power charging without any wires through the air, there are advantages compared with the wired counterparts, such as convenient, safety and fearless transmission of power. From this reason, the WPT systems have started to be applied to the wireless charging for various power applications such as train, underwater ship, electric vehicle. This study aims for the effect and characteristics of different inserted resonance coil between Tx and Rx coils for charging system of superconducting magnetic levitation (MAGLEV) train. The transfer efficiency and effect are evaluated with helix type, rectangular type copper resonance coil, and HTS resonance coil under bulb and HTS magnet load, respectively. The input power is adapted with radio frequency (RF) power of 370 kHz below 500 W.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.546-550
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• 2014

In this research, we report all the elements are placed in the space above the patient table as a transmit coil to give optimized B1+ field for the body object. Through the simulations, we compared upper-and-lower parts combined 8 channel Tx array to upper only 8 channel Tx array and showed the utilities of B1+ shimming in multi-channel Tx body imaging at 3T. Half-cylinder shaped upper array shows weak B1+ field area around back of patient without B1+ shimming. After B1+ shimming, highly induced SAR places occurred in the arm region due to the close distance to the both end elements which were driven by very high RF current to enhance B1+ in back area. The proposed upper and lower combined array provides an enhanced homogeneous B1+ field in large ROI imaging as a result of shimming over the body size phantom. Through this research we proved the usefulness of the proposed insertional upper and lower parts combined transmit array for 3T body imaging.