Single spin exact gradients for the optimization of complex pulses and pulse sequences

Abstract The efficient computer optimization of magnetic resonance pulses and pulse sequences involves the calculation of a problem-adapted cost function as well as its gradients with respect to all controls applied. The gradients generally can be calculated as a finite difference approximation, as a GRAPE approximation, or as an exact function, e. g. by the use of the augmented matrix exponentiation, where the exact gradient should lead to best optimization convergence. The majority of pulse optimizations involve a single spin 1/2, for which propagation is either represented by 3D-rotations or quaternions. For both cases highly efficient analytical solutions for gradients with respect to various possible controls have been derived. Controls are either x and y pulses, but also z-controls, as well as gradients with respect to amplitude and phase of a pulse shape. In addition, analytical solutions with respect to pseudo controls, involving holonomic constraints to maximum rf-amplitudes, maximum rf-power, or maximum rf-energy, are introduced. Using the hyperbolic tangent function, maximum values are imposed in a fully continuous and differentiable way. The obtained analytical gradients allow the calculation two orders of magnitude faster than the augmented matrix exponential approach. The use of exact gradients for different controls is finally demonstrated in a number of optimizations involving broadband pulses for ^15N, ^13C, and ^19F applications.