Frequency Dependence of EPR Sensitivity

Quantum Mimicry With Inorganic Chemistry

Quantum objects, such as atoms, spins, and subatomic particles, have important properties due to their unique physical properties that could be useful for many different applications, ranging from quantum information processing to magnetic resonance imaging. Molecular species also exhibit quantum properties, and these properties are fundamentally tunable by synthetic design, unlike ions isolated in a quadrupolar trap, for example. In this comment, we collect multiple, distinct, scientific efforts into an emergent field that is devoted to designing molecules that mimic the quantum properties of objects like trapped atoms or defects in solids. Mimicry is endemic in inorganic chemistry and featured heavily in the research interests of groups across the world. We describe a new field of using inorganic chemistry to design molecules that mimic the quantum properties (e.g. the lifetime of spin superpositions, or the resonant frequencies thereof) of other quantum objects, "quantum mimicry." In this comment, we describe the philosophical design strategies and recent exciting results from application of these strategies.

Going Low in a World Going High: The Physiologic Use of Lower Frequency Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

Yakov Sergeevich Lebedev was a pioneer in high frequency EPR, taking advantage of the separation of g-factor anisotropy effects from nuclear hyperfine splitting and the higher frequency molecular motion sensitivity from higher frequency measurements⁸. This article celebrates a second EPR subfield in which Prof. Lebedev pioneered, EPR imaging. ⁹ We celebrate the clinical enhancements that are suggested in this low frequency work and imaging application to animal physiology at lower-than-standard EPR frequencies.

Tabletop 700 MHz electron paramagnetic resonance imaging spectrometer

Low frequency electron paramagnetic resonance imaging is a powerful tool to non-invasively measure the physiological status of tumors. Here, we report on the design and functionality of a rapid scan and pulse table-top imaging spectrometer based around an arbitrary waveform generator and 25mm cross-loop resonator operating at 700 MHz. Two and four-dimensional rapid scan spectral-spatial images are presented. This table-top imager is a prototype for future pre-clinical imagers.

Triarylmethyl Radical: EPR Signal to Noise at Frequencies between 250 MHz and 1.5 GHz and Dependence of Relaxation on Radical and Salt Concentration and on Frequency

In vivo oximetry by pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance is based on measurements of changes in electron spin relaxation rates of probe molecules, such as the triarylmethyl radicals. A series of experiments was performed at frequencies between 250 MHz and 1.5 GHz to assist in the selection of an optimum frequency for oximetry. Electron spin relaxation rates for the triarylmethyl radical OX063 as a function of radical concentration, salt concentration, and resonance frequency were measured by electron spin echo 2-pulse decay and 3-pulse inversion recovery in the frequency range of 250 MHz-1.5 GHz. At constant OX063 concentration, 1/T₁ decreases with increasing frequency because the tumbling dependent processes that dominate relaxation at 250 MHz are less effective at higher frequency. 1/T₂ also decreases with increasing frequency because 1/T₁ is a significant contribution to 1/T₂ for trityl radicals in fluid solution. 1/T₂-1/T₁, the incomplete motional averaging contribution to 1/T₂, increases with increasing frequency. At constant frequency, relaxation rates increase with increasing radical concentration due to contributions from collisions that are more effective for 1/T₂ than 1/T₁. The collisional contribution to relaxation increases as the concentration of counter-ions in solution increases, which is attributed to interactions of cations with the negatively charged radicals that decrease repulsion between trityl radicals. The Signal-to-Noise ratio (S/N) of field-swept echo-detected spectra of OX063 were measured in the frequency range of 400 MHz-1 GHz. S/N values, normalized by √Q, increase as frequency increases. Adding salt to the radical solution decreased S/N because salt lowers the resonator Q. Changing the temperature from 19 to 37 °C caused little change in S/N at 700 MHz. Both slower relaxation rates and higher S/N at higher frequencies are advantageous for oximetry. The potential disadvantage of higher frequencies is the decreased depth of penetration into tissue.

Optimal dielectric and cavity configurations for improving the efficiency of electron paramagnetic resonance probes

An electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer's lambda efficiency parameter (Λ) is one of the most important parameters that govern its sensitivity. It is studied for an EPR probe consisting of a dielectric resonator (DR) in a cavity (CV). Expressions for Λ are derived in terms of the probe's individual DR and CV components, Λ1 and Λ2 respectively. Two important cases are considered. In the first, a probe consisting of a CV is improved by incorporating a DR. The sensitivity enhancement depends on the relative rather than the absolute values of the individual components. This renders the analysis general. The optimal configuration occurs when the CV and DR modes are nearly degenerate. This configuration guarantees that the probe can be easily coupled to the microwave bridge while maintaining a large Λ. It is shown that for a lossy CV with a small quality factor Q2, one chooses a DR that has the highest filling factor, η1, regardless of its Λ1 and Q1. On the other hand, if the CV has a large Q2, the optimum DR is the one which has the highest Λ1. This is regardless of its η1 and relative dielectric constant, ɛr. When the quality factors of both the CV and DR are comparable, the lambda efficiency is reduced by a factor of 2. Thus the signal intensity for an unsaturated sample is cut in half. The second case is the design of an optimum shield to house a DR. Besides preventing radiation leakage, it is shown that for a high loss DR, the shield can actually boost Λ above the DR value. This can also be very helpful for relatively low efficiency dielectrics as well as lossy samples, such as polar liquids.

Bandwidth-limited control and ringdown suppression in high-Q resonators

We describe how the transient behavior of a tuned and matched resonator circuit and a ringdown suppression pulse may be integrated into an optimal control theory (OCT) pulse-design algorithm to derive control sequences with limited ringdown that perform a desired quantum operation in the presence of resonator distortions of the ideal waveform. Inclusion of ringdown suppression in numerical pulse optimizations significantly reduces spectrometer deadtime when using high quality factor (high-Q) resonators, leading to increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and sensitivity of inductive measurements. To demonstrate the method, we experimentally measure the free-induction decay of an inhomogeneously broadened solid-state free radical spin system at high Q. The measurement is enabled by using a numerically optimized bandwidth-limited OCT pulse, including ringdown suppression, robust to variations in static and microwave field strengths. We also discuss the applications of pulse design in high-Q resonators to universal control of anisotropic-hyperfine coupled electron-nuclear spin systems via electron-only modulation even when the bandwidth of the resonator is significantly smaller than the hyperfine coupling strength. These results demonstrate how limitations imposed by linear response theory may be vastly exceeded when using a sufficiently accurate system model to optimize pulses of high complexity.

A General Purpose Q-Measuring Circuit Using Pulse Ring-Down

A general purpose pulsed microwave circuit was developed for the purpose of measuring resonator Q by the pulse ring-down method in EPR spectrometers without pulse capability. The circuit was installed and tested in a Bruker X-band EPR bridge. This method and circuit could be adapted for use in a variety of spectrometers operating at various microwave frequencies.

Frequency Dependence of Pulsed EPR Experiments

The frequency dependence of the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) that is theoretically possible for pulsed EPR experiments is the same as for continuous wave experiments. To select the optimum resonance frequency or frequencies for pulsed EPR experiments it is important to consider not only S/N, but also orientation selection, depth of spin echo modulation, and intensities of forbidden transitions. Evaluation of factors involved in selecting the optimum frequency for pulsed EPR measurements of distances between spins is discussed.