Who we are

Since May of 2014 the Laboratory of EPR spectroscopy does not exist anymore in the form presented on these pages.
Members of the former staff are still involved in EPR spectroscopy research though.

Location

The Laboratory of EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) spectroscopy is part of the Research Centre for Natural Sciences, one of the largest, multidisciplinary research centres of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The laboratory is located in the—recently built—central building of the research centre, right in the neighborhood (practically at) the campus of two of the most respected and largest universities of the country, the Budapest University of Technology and Economics and the Eötvös Loránd University. We are thus enjoying a vivid, stimulating scientific environment that we are pleased to share with numerous fellow researchers, university professors and students. The scenic beauty of the nearby Danube river—flowing through the city in a distance of ca. 300 meters from the laboratory—is another gift (of nature) worth to mention and capable to inspire body and soul alike.

History

The history of the laboratory dates back to the middle of 1960's. During the ca. half-century of its scientific history, the laboratory has readily provided its members with a fertile ground for scientific research and discovery. At the same time, it also proved to be a successful springboard for members who at some point of time continued their career in a different institution at home or abroad. The laboratory is run by a staff of researchers whose backgrounds in physics and chemistry complete each other in a way that enables the laboratory to address diverse scientific problems ranging from solid state physics (see, e.g., 1994) and materials science (see, e.g., 2013) to inorganic (see, e.g., 2012) and organic chemistry (see, e.g., 2004) and even biomedical sciences (see, e.g., 1989, 2000). Beside doing experimental science, members of the laboratory also have strong skills in computer programming and data analysis techniques, and routinely apply theoretical molecular structure calculations performed by the ORCA software.

Ever since its establishment, members of the laboratory have advanced the field of EPR spectroscopy and its applications with significant contributions. Interest in the application of the method was in part initiated by ongoing research in the field of radical polymerization processes where nitroso compounds were applied as polymerization inhibitors already in the mid of 1960's (see, e.g., 1963, 1964, 1966). In numerous works, the laboratory has paid ample attention to the structure and chemistry of free radicals (see, e.g., 1967a, 1967b, 1978a, 1978b). During the years nitrones and nitroso compounds have been both widely and successfully utilized in the laboratory to trace down short-living radicals via spin trapping reactions (see, e.g., 1978, 1986, 2004). In the 1970's members of the laboratory have also contributed significantly to the theoretical aspects of EPR spectroscopy by deriving closed-form formulas for the energy levels of the EPR spin Hamiltonian by the application of second order perturbation theory (1973), as well as by treating the so called ambiguity problem of the spin Hamiltonian in detail (1976). The latter problem, related to the information observable on the basis of EPR spectra by using the spin Hamiltonian formalism, was revisited in the 1980's when it was given a general treatment in terms of the uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics (1988). The activity in the field of EPR theories also culminated in the development of a unique computer software for the simulation and analysis of EPR spectra (1996).

Cooperations

Concerning the preparation of the various samples studied, the laboratory has generally teamed up with fellow laboratories from home and abroad. We are proud to have excellent professional and personal, national and international relations with members of outstanding research groups, which are also evidenced by the numerous publications realized in the frame of our corresponding scientific collaborations. While the laboratory performs mainly curiosity driven basic research, we are also open for cooperation regarding applied research and industrial research contracts. Given that the scientific equipment available to us is quite unique and—despite its potential usefulness in many areas—only sparsely available especially on the national level, we also realize our responsibility in making this equipment and associated expertise as widely available as possible also for the benefit of the national scene of science and technology.

Teaching activity

Members of the laboratory also have considerable experience teaching various subjects at university (B.Sc., M.Sc.) level, and participate in higher education on a regular as well as on an occasional basis by providing undergraduate students with EPR spectroscopy related practical training and diploma work themes. We enjoy sharing our scientific knowledge and experience with students and young scientists, and offer them a relaxed yet professional scientific atmosphere, where beside learning the fundamentals of EPR spectroscopy they can also gain proper insight into various practical and ethical aspects of the scientific profession in general. Students interested in working with us in the frame of their diploma work are advised to check out our dedicated invitation page.

Invitation

We are always ready to make new acquaintances and to face new scientific challenges, so if you are interested in cooperating with us, don't hold back and contact any of us for example via E-mail. Our dedicated invitation page has also been set up in order to introduce some further details regarding our practices with respect to scientific collaborations.