Don't let them put them in the fluorescent lighting . Ask for DC lighting.
We have had a host of problems over the years with fluorescent lighting
generating RF noise.
The SCR type controls can generate RF noise fairly uniform across the
electromagnetic spectrum 1 MHz to 2 GHz or higher. ( no gamma rays yet)
I also had problems with the lights generating an occasional on /off spikes
on the 120 Volt lighting mains, that was picked up by the voltage reference circuit
then being integrated as an error signal into the lock circuitry,
jumping the B0 set point. This circuit already had 500,000 microFarads capacitors
across it, but the large value capacitor was self resonant at the higher frequencies.
I had to add several 67 pF ceramic chip capacitors across the very large
electrolytics
in parallel, to finally filter out the very short pulses coming from the lighting
circuit startup.
You can get multiples of the primary frequency of 60 HZ with the balun
causing spurious sidebands in the gradient circuitry.
The other curious noise problem that happened with AC lights being a source
of noise, was the light from a fixture was being modulated at some multiple of
60 Hz, this slight variation in the light intensity was detected by an exposed glass
small signal diode, in an open chassis. The light created a small photoelectric
noise source at the diode junction producing 60 Hz ripples in the detected signal.
The noise would disappear when you blocked the light falling on the PC board with a
notebook or the shadow of a large frustrated engineer.
Insist on DC lighting only! You may save a few dollars with the lighting/
electric bill, but then be unable to trust the results from your $500,000 NMR
console.
We use DC low voltage in the magnet bay areas and some of the newer bays
have several large fiber optic tubes with a shielded DC halogen light source
outside the RF shielded rooms.
-Or bring in miners helmet lamps and Coleman lanterns....
Torches and quick lime may help as well....good luck!
Regards Scott
A.S.Chesnick
In Vivo Center for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
NIH Bethesda, Md
20892