Electron paramagnetic resonance

For the dating technique, see Electron spin resonance dating.

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) or electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy is a method for studying materials that have unpaired electrons. The basic concepts of EPR are analogous to those of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), but the spins excited are those of the electrons instead of the atomic nuclei. EPR spectroscopy is useful for analyzing metal ions and organic radicals (compounds with unpaired electrons). The technique reveals some structural information but often simply provides a characteristic "finger print". The measurement requires a large magnet into which the sample is placed. Signals are detected using microwaves. In contrast to NMR and infrared (IR) spectroscopy, EPR spectroscopy is less common. For a given sample, some of the parameters of interest are g-values (analogous to chemical shift), anisotropy (asymmetry), hyperfine coupling constants (analogous to coupling constant J), and relaxation times.

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