by Mat Dirjish
CEA-Leti, a research institute specializing in miniaturization, has validated a chip-scale electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer that it claims achieves unprecedented scan speed, spectral span, and sensitivity from a battery-operated integrated circuit. The institute claims that, by replacing large electromagnets in conventional EPR instruments with an ultra-fast frequency-scanned architecture, the system enables high-performance paramagnetic sensing in portable and space-constrained designs where traditional systems cannot operate.
On-chip EPR spectrometer, fabricated on CMOS GF22nmFDSOI technology.
Miniaturized EPR spectrometers transform a complex laboratory instrument into a portable, low-power microchip capable of detecting reactive chemical species that influence energy storage, materials reliability, environmental safety, and biomedical processes. This technology, a.k.a., EPR-on-a-chip, makes it possible to perform precision analysis in the field. At milli-Watt power levels, the system delivers:
- A 1,400 THz/s scan rate.
- 100-Gauss equivalent spectral span.
- 120 µM concentration sensitivity.
- 96 mW power consumption.
- 200 ns scan time across the full span.
According to CEA-Leti, this performance exceeds that of state-of-the-art miniaturized EPR devices, which typically trade sensitivity and spectral range for speed. For more details, visit the CEA-Leti website.
Mat Dirjish Online 