The Solar Energy Conversion Group moved into the brand new, state of the art Energy Sciences Building on the Argonne campus in 2013. Our biochemistry and synthesis labs can be found on the second floor and our laser and EPR labs are housed in the basement.
Advanced EPR lab
The Solar Energy Conversion Group has developed unique, advanced EPR facilities in the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division at ANL for the analysis of the structure and function of artificial and natural photosynthetic assemblies, catalytically active transition metal complexes, biohybrid complexes, organic photovoltaic (OPV) materials, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). For the history of this lab, visit this page.
We have three spectrometers- a commercial Bruker ELEXSYS E580 EPR/ENDOR/PELDOR spectrometer operating in continuous wave (cw)/pulsed X-band and cw Q-band mode, a commercial ELEXSYS II E500 EPR (cw X-band), and a homebuilt High Frequency cw/pulsed D-band EPR spectrometer. The spectrometers can be coupled to various continuous and pulsed light sources, including nanosecond Nd:YAG-pumped OPO laser systems, Xenon lamps, LED lamps and diode cw lasers. The following experiments can be performed:
- standard continuous wave (cw) experiments at conventional microwave frequencies such as 9-10 GHz (X-band) and 34 GHz (Q-band), as well as High Frequency (HF) 130 GHz (D-band)
- One- and two-dimensional Electron Spin Echo Envelope Modulation experiments at X- and D-band (ESEEM, HYSCORE)
- multi-pulse, multi-dimensional Electron Spin Echo (ESE) experiments at X- and D-band, including relaxation measurements and electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) measurements
- multi-pulse, multi-dimensional electron electron double resonance (ELDOR) experiments at X-band
- laser flash induced direct detection Time-Resolved (TR) as well as light-modulation TR-EPR experiments at X-, Q- and D-band (cw)
- laser flash induced, pulsed TR experiments at X- and D-band
- laser flash induced multi-dimensional pulsed TR ENDOR experiments at X- and D-band
- laser flash induced multi-dimensional ESEEM and relaxation experiments at X- and D-band
The centerpiece of this advanced EPR facility is a home-built, HF EPR spectrometer operating at 130 GHz, which increases the g-tensor resolution 14 times compared to conventional X-band EPR spectroscopy, and includes the capability for multi-frequency EPR experiments- i.e. the collection and analysis of data taken at different microwave frequencies and magnetic fields.
Transient optical spectroscopy lab
Algae farm in Building 200
The Solar Energy Conversion Group maintains a facility for the production of photosynthetic microorganisms, photosynthetic proteins and pigments 99% enriched in 2H and other stable isotopes that are uniquely useful for the analysis of electron transfer reactions by magnetic resonance.
Advanced Photon Source
