Pushing the sensitivity boundaries of X-band EPR cryoprobe using a fast microwave switch
We present a new design of an X-band EPR cryoprobe based on a fast microwave switch and a cryogenic low-noise microwave amplifier that are placed close to the sample in the same cryostat. The probehead supports high-power (100 W) pulsed EPR experiments and is compatible with standard EPR resonators...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Magnetic Resonance Open |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666441025000123 |
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| author | Uršulė Tarvydytė Vidmantas Kalendra Gediminas Usevičius James O’Sullivan Adam Brookfield Alice M. Bowen Jūras Banys John J.L. Morton Mantas Šimėnas |
| author_facet | Uršulė Tarvydytė Vidmantas Kalendra Gediminas Usevičius James O’Sullivan Adam Brookfield Alice M. Bowen Jūras Banys John J.L. Morton Mantas Šimėnas |
| author_sort | Uršulė Tarvydytė |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We present a new design of an X-band EPR cryoprobe based on a fast microwave switch and a cryogenic low-noise microwave amplifier that are placed close to the sample in the same cryostat. The probehead supports high-power (100 W) pulsed EPR experiments and is compatible with standard EPR resonators and samples. In contrast to the directional coupler design of the EPR cryoprobe reported previously, the fast microwave switch fully isolates the microwave amplifier from input thermal noise without microwave power suppression allowing us to approach the sensitivity limit of cryoprobes for pulsed EPR experiments. We benchmark the performance of our cryoprobe setup against a standard commercial EPR instrument revealing a significant sensitivity improvement, which reduces the measurement time by a factor of about 250× at 6 K sample temperature. We also show that the sensitivity of our new X-band cryoprobe design matches that of a standard Q-band setup for double electron–electron resonance experiments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-efd33cc4cfa64deea144bc67b6025e6d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2666-4410 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Magnetic Resonance Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-efd33cc4cfa64deea144bc67b6025e6d2025-08-20T02:30:55ZengElsevierJournal of Magnetic Resonance Open2666-44102025-06-012310019610.1016/j.jmro.2025.100196Pushing the sensitivity boundaries of X-band EPR cryoprobe using a fast microwave switchUršulė Tarvydytė0Vidmantas Kalendra1Gediminas Usevičius2James O’Sullivan3Adam Brookfield4Alice M. Bowen5Jūras Banys6John J.L. Morton7Mantas Šimėnas8Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio 3, LT-10257, Vilnius, LithuaniaFaculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio 3, LT-10257, Vilnius, LithuaniaFaculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio 3, LT-10257, Vilnius, LithuaniaAmplify My Probe Ltd., London NW1 1NJ, UKThe National Research Facility for Electron Paramagnetic Resonance, Department of Chemistry and Photon Science Institute, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UKThe National Research Facility for Electron Paramagnetic Resonance, Department of Chemistry and Photon Science Institute, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UKFaculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio 3, LT-10257, Vilnius, LithuaniaLondon Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London WC1H 0AH, UK; Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 7JE, UKFaculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio 3, LT-10257, Vilnius, Lithuania; Corresponding author.We present a new design of an X-band EPR cryoprobe based on a fast microwave switch and a cryogenic low-noise microwave amplifier that are placed close to the sample in the same cryostat. The probehead supports high-power (100 W) pulsed EPR experiments and is compatible with standard EPR resonators and samples. In contrast to the directional coupler design of the EPR cryoprobe reported previously, the fast microwave switch fully isolates the microwave amplifier from input thermal noise without microwave power suppression allowing us to approach the sensitivity limit of cryoprobes for pulsed EPR experiments. We benchmark the performance of our cryoprobe setup against a standard commercial EPR instrument revealing a significant sensitivity improvement, which reduces the measurement time by a factor of about 250× at 6 K sample temperature. We also show that the sensitivity of our new X-band cryoprobe design matches that of a standard Q-band setup for double electron–electron resonance experiments.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666441025000123Pulsed EPRCryoprobeLNASensitivityNoise |
| spellingShingle | Uršulė Tarvydytė Vidmantas Kalendra Gediminas Usevičius James O’Sullivan Adam Brookfield Alice M. Bowen Jūras Banys John J.L. Morton Mantas Šimėnas Pushing the sensitivity boundaries of X-band EPR cryoprobe using a fast microwave switch Journal of Magnetic Resonance Open Pulsed EPR Cryoprobe LNA Sensitivity Noise |
| title | Pushing the sensitivity boundaries of X-band EPR cryoprobe using a fast microwave switch |
| title_full | Pushing the sensitivity boundaries of X-band EPR cryoprobe using a fast microwave switch |
| title_fullStr | Pushing the sensitivity boundaries of X-band EPR cryoprobe using a fast microwave switch |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pushing the sensitivity boundaries of X-band EPR cryoprobe using a fast microwave switch |
| title_short | Pushing the sensitivity boundaries of X-band EPR cryoprobe using a fast microwave switch |
| title_sort | pushing the sensitivity boundaries of x band epr cryoprobe using a fast microwave switch |
| topic | Pulsed EPR Cryoprobe LNA Sensitivity Noise |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666441025000123 |
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