Instrumentation

EPR spectrometers

We have available several Bruker EPR spectrometers covering standard EPR experiments (continuous wave – CW), plus pulsed (Echo-detected EPR, ESEEM, ENDOR, DEER, …) and time-resolved EPR. All spectrometers can be fitted with the proper cryostats to perform experiments from room temperature down to 4 K.

  • Elexsys E580 (X/Q-band):  X/Q band CW- and FT-EPR spectrometer equipped with a DEER unit and a DICE Pulse ENDOR system with RF amplifier. Coupled to a  Nd-YAG pulsed laser (Quantel Brilliant, 20 Hz) equipped with second (532 nm) and third (355 nm) harmonic generators, and an Optical Parametric Oscillator (Opolette, OPOTEK) to get pulses at tunable wavelengths from 420 nm to 680 nm and from 750 nm to 1000 nm.
The X/Q-band Elexsys spectrometer
  • Elexsys E580 (X-band): equipped with a pulsed ENDOR unit. Coupled to a  Nd-YAG pulsed laser (Quantel Brilliant, 10 Hz) equipped with second (532 nm), third (355 nm) and fourth (266 nm) harmonic generators, and an Optical Parametric Oscillator (Opolette, OPOTEK) to get pulses at tunable wavelengths from 420 nm to 680 nm and from 750 nm to 1000 nm.

    The X-band Elexsys spectrometer
  • ECS106 (X-band): used for routine EPR analyses.

    The X-band ECS106 spectrometer
  • ER200D (X-band):  coupled to a Nd-YAG pulsed laser (Quantel Brilliant, 50 Hz) equipped with second (532 nm) harmonic generator, and a 300 W Xe lamp monochromatic source.
The X-band ER200D spectrometer for TR-EPR
  • ODMR instrumentation: home-made spectrometer, used for Zero Field measurements, equipped also with a variable magnetic field unit (up to 4 T). Absorption and emission detection (ADMR, FDMR, PDMR) are all available in the UV-VIS range. Time resolved detection in the Phosphorescence mode is also possible with a pulsed light source, in a millisecond time window.
The cryostat of the ODMR spectrometer
PARAHYDROGEN GENERATOR
  • Home-built 77 K liquid nitrogen-based parahydrogen generator with mass flow controller coupled to a CINEL hydrogen supply for hyperpolarised NMR experiments. It enables NMR experiments in the pressure range of 1 to 10 bars.

Other spectrometers
  • JASCO V-730ST: conventional UV-Vis spectrometer, dual beam.
The dual-beam UV-Vis spectrometer
  • Fluo time 200: picosecond fluorescence lifetime spectrometer.
The picosecond fuorescence lifetime spectrometer
  • Bruker Lumos II FT-IR Microscope: IR microscope with reflectance and ATR modes and 2D mapping (instrument financed as part of the WCRI SYCURI project, coordinated by CIBA).
The microFT-IR
  • Ocean Optics DH-2000 FORS: portable UV-Vis spectrometer, reflectance spectrometer (borrowed when needed from the Geoscience Dept.)
instrumentation for protein systems
  • Hettich Universal 32R: refiregerated tabletop centrifuge.
  • Angelantoni Lifescience: freezer for -80 °C storage.
  • AKTA Pure: FPLC for protein purification, with fraction collector, detector at 280 nm.
The Akta FPLC for protein purification
Other instrumentation
  • Dual-manifold vacuum line: for sample preparation in vacuum or controlled atmosphere.
  • Portable glovebox: for sample handling/preparation in controlled atmosphere.
  • Extruder: for liposome preparation.
  • Spin-coater: for thin film preparation.
  • Liquid nitrogen dewar: for 77 K sample storage.