Before signals can be detected in a ZULF NMR experiment, it is first necessary to polarize the nuclear spin ensemble, since the signal is proportional to the nuclear spin magnetization. There are a number of methods to generate nuclear spin polarization. The most common is to allow the spins to thermally equilibrate in a magnetic field, and the nuclear spin alignment with the magnetic field due to the Zeeman interaction leads to weak spin polarization. The polarization generated in this way is on the order of 10 for tesla field-strengths.
An alternative approach is to use hyperpolarization techniques, which are chemical and physical methods to generate nuclear spin polarization. Examples include parahydrogen-induced polarization, spin-exchange optical pumping of noble gas atoms, dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization, and chemically-induced dynamic nuclear polarization.