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News|Videos|April 16, 2026

What Applications Benefit from EPR-on-a-Chip Devices?

In this video clip, Jean-Baptiste David, who is a R&D Engineer at CEA-Leti, and Serge Gambarelli, who is a research director at CEA-IRIG and EPR spectroscopy expert, discuss the application areas where electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometers could be useful.

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is an analytical technique used to detect and characterize species containing unpaired electrons.1 By exposing a sample to a strong magnetic field and microwave radiation, EPR spectrometers measure the energy absorbed when unpaired electrons transition between magnetic spin states, which produces a highly detailed spectral fingerprint.1

How do EPR spectrometers work?

At the heart of an EPR spectrometer is an electromagnet that generates a controlled, uniform magnetic field. A microwave source irradiates the sample, and at a specific combination of field strength and frequency (that is, the resonance condition) unpaired electrons absorb energy.1 A detector records this absorption, generating a spectrum that reveals information about the electronic structure, concentration, and chemical environment of the paramagnetic species.1

What are the key applications of EPR spectroscopy?

EPR spectrometers are uniquely suited to a range of scientific and industrial fields, such as the following:

  • Free Radical Research: EPR is the gold standard for detecting free radicals in biological systems, making it invaluable in studying oxidative stress, aging, and disease mechanisms such as cancer and neurodegeneration.2
  • Catalysis & Materials Science: Researchers use EPR to investigate transition metal catalysts and defects in semiconductors, ceramics, and solar cell materials, where unpaired electrons play a critical role in performance.3
  • Food & Pharmaceutical Quality Control: EPR can assess antioxidant capacity in foods and detect radiation-induced radicals in pharmaceutical products to verify sterilization processes, as well as in drug delivery research.3
  • Environmental Monitoring: The technique identifies radical pollutants and metal ion contaminants in soil and water samples.

What advancements have been made in EPR spectroscopy?

Recently, Jean-Baptiste David, who is a R&D Engineer at CEA-Leti, and Serge Gambarelli, who is a research director at CEA-IRIG and EPR spectroscopy expert. In the first part of our interview with David and Gambarelli, were part of a team that developed a new “EPR-on-a-chip” spectrometer that is designed to improve the technique’s capabilities.4 In this interview clip, they talk about the main applications that will benefit most from using the device they created.
References
  1. Roessler, M. M.; Salvadori, E. Principles and Applications of EPR Spectroscopy in the Chemical Sciences. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2018, 47, 2534–2553. DOI: 10.1039/C6CS00565A
  2. Jackson, S. K. Applications of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy in the Study of Oxidative Stress in Biological Systems. Methods Mol. Biol. 2019, 1990, 93–102. DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9463-2_8
  3. Kempe, S.; Metz, H.; Mader, K. Application of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy and Imaging in Drug Delivery Research - Chances and Challenges. Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm. 2010, 74 (1), 55–66. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2009.08.007
  4. CEA-Leti, CEA-Leti Validates First Ultra-Fast, Battery-Operated EPR Spectrometer at Chip Scale. CEA-Leti. Available at: https://www.leti-cea.com/cea-tech/leti/english/Pages/What's-On/Press%20release/CEA-Leti-Validates-First-Ultra-Fast-Battery-Operated-EPR-Spectrometer-at-Chip-Scale.aspx (accessed 2026-04-06).

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