X-band rapid-scan EPR of nitroxyl radicals

X-band rapid-scan EPR spectra were obtained for dilute aqueous solutions of nitroxyl radicals N-15-mHCTPO (4-hydro-3-carbamoyl-2,2,5,5-tetra-perdeuteromethyl-pyrrolin-1-N-15-oxyl-d(12)) and N-15-PDT (4-oxo-2,2,6,6-tetra-perdeuteromethyl-piperidinyl-N-15-oxyl-d(16)). Simulations of spectra for N-15-mHCTPO and N-15-PDT agreed well with the experimental spectra. As the scan rate is increased in the rapid scan regime, the region in which signal amplitude increases linearly with B-1 extends to higher power and the maximum signal amplitude increases. In the rapid scan regime, the signal-to-noise for rapid-scan spectra was about a factor of 2 higher than for unbroadened CW EPR, even when the rapid scan spectra were obtained in a mode that had only 4% duty cycle for data acquisition. Further improvement in signal-to-noise per unit time is expected for higher duty cycles. Rapid scan spectra have higher bandwidth than CW spectra and therefore require higher detection bandwidths at faster scan rates. However, when the scan rate is increased by increasing the scan frequency, the increase in noise from the detection bandwidth is compensated by the decrease in noise due to increased number of averages per unit time. Because of the higher signal bandwidth, lower resonator Q is needed for rapid scan than for CW, so the rapid scan method is advantageous for lossy samples that inherently lower resonator Q. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.