Vinicius Santana, a Brazilian scientist exploring the area right between physics and chemistry, specifically the application of electron spin resonance (ESR), has been part of the Magneto-Optical and THz Spectroscopy group at <a href="https://lcms.cz/companies/36">CEITEC</a> BUT led by Petr Neugebauer since 2018. The talented young scientist explains how he got into this highly interdisciplinary research and speaks about his plans now that he has been awarded the prestigious JUNIOR STAR 2024 grant by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (GAČR).
<h3>How long have you been in Brno and how did you get here?</h3>
I arrived in Brno in January 2018 to join Petr Neugebauer’s group. He had just gotten his ERC Starting Grant to develop a high-frequency high-field electron spin resonance (HF-ESR) spectrometer, the only of its kind in the Czech Republic and, to some extent, with worldwide unique capabilities of fast frequency sweeps for studying spin dynamics. It was an incredible journey where I participated in the construction of the new spectrometer from scratch. Before coming, in September 2017, I submitted a project to the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MCSA) for the mobility of international researchers. The project was not selected, although it was considered excellent. Therefore, it was funded by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports via the European Social Fund. Since then, I have dedicated my time to the application of ESR to solve problems in different scientific fields with a focus on molecular magnetism.
<h3>Could you describe your current research projects?</h3>
I collaborate with different groups and projects to use ESR for tracking radicals in chemical reactions and in the study of charge transfer in catalytical processes. This technique is sometimes the only resource to explain mechanisms that lead to the optimization of systems with relevance in everyday life, such as new drugs, water treatment, and novel technological materials. I also participate in collaborations where I help to characterize defects and dopants in oxides with different purposes, such as dyes, piezoelectrics and catalysts. I am currently a team member in a GAČR EXPRO project aimed at enhancing the NMR techniques using ESR, with an impact on medical diagnostics, and in another GAČR Standard aimed at preparing, characterizing, and depositing new single-molecule magnets (SMMs) on surfaces. These compounds are promising candidates to substitute large magnetic domains in storage devices with molecular units capable of storing one bit of information, drastically improving the storage density and efficiency. I have a bachelor, master and PhD in Physics. However, I have always worked at the intersection of physics and chemistry, characterizing new materials and particularly interested in the signatures of magnetic phenomena in electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra. My focus is on molecular crystals, particularly those where arrays of spins in molecules give rise to different quantum phases that can be controlled externally by the application of a magnetic field.
<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_VUT_Vaclav_Konicek_Vedu_delaji_lide_a_lidi_pohani_vasen_Vasen_sama_ale_pro_dobrou_vedu_nestaci_rika_Vinicius_Santana_1_a95bcef368.jpg" alt="CEITEC/BUT/Václav Koníček: Science is made by people and people are driven by passion. However, passion alone is not enough, says Vinicius Santana"/>
<h3>You have been awarded the JUNIOR STAR 2024 grant for one of your projects. What does that mean to you and your project?</h3>
It is a great opportunity to push forward my career from a junior postdoc researcher to a junior group leader. I really enjoy the laboratory work and data analysis and I intend to keep performing these tasks. But it is great to be able to coordinate a team that will work with me towards the aim of the project, which is related to the production and characterization of suitable molecular crystals with weakly coupled spins to demonstrate/reveal exotic phenomena, quantum entanglement and phase transitions. I am proposing to modulate the interaction between molecules in a crystal by varying the magnitude of the interaction among them, creating different networks of entangled molecules. This will be done by pushing forward methodologies in ESR in a wide range of frequencies and at high magnetic fields. What motivates me in my work, which is actually what got me to come to this field in the first place, is to explain unexpected features in the classical ESR spectra of magnetic materials. The outputs can also be helpful to people working in the field of molecular magnetism, providing new methodologies in ESR to explain the behaviour and the observed data in novel compounds. We will also develop new sample holders, so the project is a synergic interaction between engineering, physics, and chemistry. One of the goals of the project is to show that there are quantum phases in these molecular crystals that can be tuned by the orientation of an external magnetic field and to study the spin dynamics in these phases to demonstrate that they have an enhanced coherence time, with a potential application of these systems as quantum bits.
<h3>Could you describe the potential practical applications of your research?</h3>
The long-term goal and my vision with this project are to produce and characterize new molecules that can have a potential application as quantum bits (qubits), which are the basic units of a quantum computer. This technology will transform various aspects of society by enabling faster and more efficient computation, secure communication, and precise sensing. Materials for that purpose must have an enhanced coherence time, which is the time it can hold a given quantum state, enabling logical operations. We will design and characterize many new compounds that could eventually reach benchmark results.
<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_VUT_Vaclav_Konicek_Vedu_delaji_lide_a_lidi_pohani_vasen_Vasen_sama_ale_pro_dobrou_vedu_nestaci_rika_Vinicius_Santana_2_27245d9024.jpg" alt="CEITEC/BUT/Václav Koníček: Science is made by people and people are driven by passion. However, passion alone is not enough, says Vinicius Santana"/>
<h3>Last but not least, what do you think is most important in a researcher’s work?</h3>
It is important to remember that science is made by people, and we are all driven by passion. However, passion alone is not enough to attract good people to the project. Having a work-life balance and enough time to think deeply about the problems we face in research is just as important as working hard. The conditions around the work are extremely relevant when it comes to our well-being as well as our performance. <a href="https://lcms.cz/companies/36">CEITEC</a>, for example, provides an excellent environment, it has an excellent infrastructure so that we can focus mostly on our research work, and this is really great. I see a trend that is now getting a lot of attention about the mental health of postdocs around the globe, to improve working conditions, salaries and so on. The Nature group has published a series of articles on that (<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03298-7">Postdocs are pushing back against low pay and conditions - more institutions must take heed</a>, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03296-9">Falling behind: postdocs in their thirties tire of putting life on hold</a>). And I believe that is an important topic to discuss if we want the young new generations to feel attracted to do basic and applied research, as it is the only way to push society forward.
Another very important thing is cooperation. Excellent work can only be achieved by means of collaboration. Big and complex problems usually require various expertise that is often spread among different groups, which can be in different cities or countries. High-level publications are usually the output of these interactions. I value this a lot and that is why, in my project, I have engaged many collaborators from different backgrounds to help guarantee the success of my team’s outputs.

Science is made by people and people are driven by passion. However, passion alone is not enough, says Vinicius Santana

Brno, Czech Republic – Thursday, 17 October 2024 – Today, leading researchers from CEITEC Brno University of Technology unveiled a groundbreaking technological innovation: a state-of-the-art 329 GHz Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) spectrometer equipped with dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) capabilities. This cutting-edge device, which has the&nbsp;potential to significantly advance materials science and molecular biology research, was presented during a grand unveiling ceremony attended by esteemed scientists and partners and held at CEITEC Masaryk University.The unveiling event featured opening remarks by Jiří Nantl, the Deputy Minister of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic and a former director of CEITEC Masaryk University (MU), Martin Weiter, the Vice-Rector for Research and Knowledge Transfer at Brno University of Technology (BUT), Radimír Vrba, the Director of CEITEC BUT, and Pavel Plevka, his counterpart at CEITEC MU. Following the opening words, Petr Neugebauer, the Principal Investigator from CEITEC BUT, solemnly unveiled the spectrometer and provided an in-depth explanation of its purpose and function.<h3>About the Spectrometer</h3>The newly developed 329 GHz Electron Spin Resonance Spectrometer is a significant leap forward in scientific instrumentation. This advanced tool is designed to measure electron spin resonance (ESR), a phenomenon that occurs when electrons absorb specific electromagnetic waves under the influence of a magnetic field. The spectrometer can offer researchers unprecedented insight into the structural and material properties of various substances, making it an essential tool in material science, chemistry, and biology.What sets this spectrometer apart is its dual functionality: it can measure both ESR and liquid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) simultaneously. This dual capability is made possible by incorporating a magnet of an NMR spectrometer, streamlining the equipment and reducing costs by eliminating the need for a separate magnet in a new system. In addition, the spectrometer boasts fast frequency scanning of up to 10^16 Hz per second, offering unparalleled speed and precision in studying electron spin relaxation properties at microwave frequencies around 329 GHz.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1600/1068;" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Revolucni_spektrometr_pomuze_vedcum_porozumet_strukture_bilkovin_a_navrhnout_nove_leky_146bdac64f.jpeg" alt="CEITEC: Revoluční spektrometr pomůže vědcům porozumět struktuře bílkovin a navrhnout nové léky" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Revolucni_spektrometr_pomuze_vedcum_porozumet_strukture_bilkovin_a_navrhnout_nove_leky_146bdac64f.jpeg 234w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1068"></figure><h3>The team behind</h3>This pioneering spectrometer is the result of a multi-disciplinary collaboration between scientists and international partners. The leader and principal investigator of the project is Petr Neugebauer (CEITEC BUT), with the critical NMR/EPR probe designed by Jan Dubský (CEITEC BUT), Petr Drexler and Martin Čáp (both FEEC BUT). The spectrometer’s quasi-optical bridge was supplied by Thomas Keating Ltd. (UK), while its 329 GHz components were sourced from Virginia Diodes Inc. (USA). The team, including Jan Dubský and Oleksii Laguta (CEITEC BUT), assembled and set up the device, with NMR tests conducted by Jan Dubský (CEITEC BUT) and Radovan Fiala (CEITEC MU).The construction of the spectrometer was financed by the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gacr.cz/en/">Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (GAČR)</a> EXPRO grant.<h3>Impact and Practical Applications</h3>The ultimate goal of the spectrometer is to enhance NMR experiments through dynamic nuclear polarization. This technique amplifies NMR signals by transferring polarization from electron spins to nuclei, allowing scientists to study biomolecules, such as proteins, with increased sensitivity. The device’s potential to advance molecular research holds promise for future applications in drug development, disease diagnosis, and other biomedical innovations.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1600/1068;" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Hedvika_Cimbalnikova_Revolucni_spektrometr_pomuze_vedcum_porozumet_strukture_bilkovin_a_navrhnout_nove_leky_Petr_Neugebauer_2062669b27.jpeg" alt="CEITEC/Hedvika Cimbálníková: Revoluční spektrometr pomůže vědcům porozumět struktuře bílkovin a navrhnout nové léky (Petr Neugebauer)" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Hedvika_Cimbalnikova_Revolucni_spektrometr_pomuze_vedcum_porozumet_strukture_bilkovin_a_navrhnout_nove_leky_Petr_Neugebauer_2062669b27.jpeg 234w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1068"></figure><h4>A Powerful Tool for Science</h4>To put the spectrometer’s capabilities into perspective, it operates at frequencies 100 times higher than those used in mobile phones and generates a magnetic field 10 times stronger than those found in industrial scrap magnets. This immense power allows for the study of microscopic interactions that are essential to understanding complex biological and chemical processes.For the general public, the unveiling of this spectrometer is an exciting step towards greater scientific discovery. Proteins, the building blocks of life, play a critical role in our body’s health and function. When proteins malfunction, diseases can arise. By using advanced magnetic resonance techniques, this spectrometer can help researchers better understand protein structures and design drugs that combat diseases at the molecular level.Researchers involved in the project plan to publish their findings in leading scientific journals in the near future, showcasing the spectrometer’s far-reaching contributions to material sciences and molecular biology.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:2900/647;" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Revolucni_spektrometr_pomuze_vedcum_porozumet_strukture_bilkovin_a_navrhnout_nove_leky_5_8e2ea29a10.jpg" alt="CEITEC: Revoluční spektrometr pomůže vědcům porozumět struktuře bílkovin a navrhnout nové léky" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Revolucni_spektrometr_pomuze_vedcum_porozumet_strukture_bilkovin_a_navrhnout_nove_leky_5_8e2ea29a10.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="2900" height="647"></figure>

Revolutionary spectrometer will help scientists understand protein structure and design new drugs

On October 4, 2024, Professor Josef Dadok, the founder of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in Czechoslovakia and a prominent figure in the field internationally, died in the United States at the age of 98. Professor Dadok worked in Brno in the 1950s and 1960s, where he led the development of the first NMR spectrometers at the Institute of Instrumentation of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, later mass-produced by the national company Tesla Brno, making Czechoslovakia one of the world leaders in this field.In 1967 Josef Dadok went to the USA for a work placement, from where he did not return due to political developments in Czechoslovakia after 1968, but where he continued to develop NMR technologies at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Here he developed the first superconducting spectrometer with a magnetic field of 14.1 T and an operating frequency of 600 MHz, which was for many years the most powerful device of its kind.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Pamatka_Josefa_Dadoka_zije_na_CEITEC_dal_prostrednictvim_spickoveho_vyzkumu_v_oblasti_spektroskopie_3_bf932352cd.jpg" alt="CEITEC: The memory of Josef Dadok lives on at CEITEC through cutting-edge research in spectroscopy" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Pamatka_Josefa_Dadoka_zije_na_CEITEC_dal_prostrednictvim_spickoveho_vyzkumu_v_oblasti_spektroskopie_3_bf932352cd.jpg 125w," sizes="100vw" width="961" height="1201">In 2013, Professor Dadok was awarded an honorary doctorate from Masaryk University and Brno University of Technology for his outstanding contribution to Czechoslovak science and technology. The National Centre for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance CEITEC MUNI bears his name in his honour. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://nmr.ceitec.cz/?_gl=1*pzdx3f*_ga*ODg2MDE3MjgzLjE3MzU4MzczMjI.*_ga_L74QG6CYBE*MTczNjE4ODMyMS4yLjAuMTczNjE4ODMyMS4wLjAuMA..">"The Josef Dadok National NMR Centre</a> was inaugurated in 2013 with the personal participation of Prof. Dadok and still serves users from all over the world. Its name commemorates Josef Dadok's fundamental contribution to the development of this technology not only in Czechoslovakia but also on the international scene," says <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ceitec.eu/radovan-fiala/u17058?page=publication">Radovan Fiala</a>, who started his professional career at the Institute of Instrumentation of the CAS in Brno, in the department founded by Josef Dadok."The pioneering work of Josef Dadok has been followed up by the development of a spectrometer that can simultaneously measure electron spin resonance and nuclear magnetic resonance by revolutionary fast scanning. Our instrument will serve interdisciplinary research at the Josef Dadok National NMR Centre at CEITEC MUNI," adds <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ceitec.eu/petr-neugebauer/u91434?page=publication">Petr Neugebauer</a>, head of the magneto-optical and THz spectroscopy research group at CEITEC BUT.Many other scientists also keep Josef Dadok's legacy in spectroscopy alive and continue to build on this legacy, as Professor Josef Dadok was not only an outstanding scientist and engineer, but also an inspiring mentor and colleague who influenced many generations of researchers.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Pamatka_Josefa_Dadoka_zije_na_CEITEC_dal_prostrednictvim_spickoveho_vyzkumu_v_oblasti_spektroskopie_2_5bfe3171b6.jpeg" alt="CEITEC - The memory of Josef Dadok lives on at CEITEC through cutting-edge research in spectroscopy" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Pamatka_Josefa_Dadoka_zije_na_CEITEC_dal_prostrednictvim_spickoveho_vyzkumu_v_oblasti_spektroskopie_2_5bfe3171b6.jpeg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1067">

The memory of Josef Dadok lives on at CEITEC through cutting-edge research in spectroscopy

The AMPER trade fair, held annually at the Brno Exhibition Centre, is the largest international trade fair for electrical engineering, electronics and energy in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. At this year’s fair, the research team led by Petr Neugebauer from <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/companies/36">CEITEC</a> BUT is presenting the revolutionary FRASCAN II spectrometer, an electron spin resonance spectrometer with a frequency of 329 GHz. This unique spectrometer enables the study of biomolecules, such as proteins, with increased sensitivity, and will have applications in drug development, disease diagnostics, as well as materials engineering. The instrument impressed the expert jury at the fair, which awarded it the prestigious Golden AMPER Aaard.FRASCAN II is a unique extension for NMR spectrometers that allows the simultaneous use of three advanced techniques – electron paramagnetic resonance, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and dynamic nuclear polarization – in a single system. The combination of the first two techniques gives the possibility of a more versatile and efficient use of NMR systems. The third technique allows to increase the sensitivity of the measurements, making detailed analysis of materials at the microscopic level possible.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1600/1200;" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Revolucni_spektrometr_FRASCAN_II_a6c63f0662.jpeg" alt="CEITEC: Revolutionary spectrometer developed by CEITEC BUT team wins Golden AMPER 2025 award" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Revolucni_spektrometr_FRASCAN_II_a6c63f0662.jpeg 208w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1200"></figure>To put the spectrometer’s capabilities into perspective, it operates at frequencies 100 times higher than those used in mobile phones and generates a magnetic field 10 times stronger than those found in industrial scrap magnets. This immense power allows for the study of microscopic interactions that are essential to understanding complex biological and chemical processes.The device finds applications not only in basic research, but also in materials engineering, the pharmaceutical industry and quantum computing. “It gives scientists deeper insight into the structure of biomolecules, semiconductors and other substances, and allows them to perform complex experiments without the need for several separate instruments. The advantages of FRASCAN II also include low acquisition costs, compatibility with existing NMR systems and easy installation,” said project leader Petr Neugebauer, who heads the Magneto-Optical and THz Spectroscopy research group at CEITEC BUT.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1600/1131;" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_Konicek_Frascan_II_skladacka_47a045499f.jpg" alt="CEITEC/Koníček: Frascan II as a jigsaw puzzle" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_Konicek_Frascan_II_skladacka_47a045499f.jpg 221w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1131"></figure>Petr Neugebauer and his colleagues presented the spectrometer at the AMPER trade fair, which filled halls P and F at the Brno Exhibition Centre from 18 to 20 March. The fair is primarily attended by engineers, managers, energy engineers, salesmen, designers, revision engineers, programmers, technologists, representatives of cities and municipalities, investors and other specialists. Peter Neugebauer’s team exhibited alongside CEITEC BUT start-ups Lightigo and Cactux together with other Brno University of Technology (BUT) faculties in the so-called Inovatorium."Nowadays, the link between technical universities and industrial practice not only in the field of education of experts - graduates in technical fields - but also through cutting-edge research belongs among fundamental criteria for the competitiveness of universities. This rests above all on the ability of people to create values that are beneficial. It is also the best role model for applicants to technical and science studies, which are in short supply despite the huge demand from industry. It is gratifying for me to see that students are among the exhibitors, whether as part of research teams or as individual exhibitors. Thanks to the lively activity of the Brno Exhibition Centre, trade fairs such as AMPER are an important platform not only for presenting great results to the professional community, but also for communicating with those who may still be deciding on their future professional paths and their studies. Many of the exhibited technologies in the field of electrical engineering and electronics, power engineering or electromobility sometimes seem to belong to the realm of science fiction. Autonomous systems and control, artificial intelligence and self-learning technologies, but also their cutting-edge applications in space technology, biomedical engineering, electron microscopy, semiconductor technology, communication technology or cybersecurity represent the pinnacle of human ingenuity today and are our future. To see where technology is moving every year is fascinating and when someone falls under its spell, they have endless opportunities for self-realization," summarizes the Rector of Brno University of Technology, Ladislav Janíček.The expert committee of the Golden AMPER competition always assesses the exhibits during the first day of the fair and decides on the most beneficial exhibit of the fair. The FRASCAN II project won in its category and was among the 5 awarded out of the total competition of 22 exhibits.<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1600/1066;" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/AMPER_Slavnostni_predavani_Zlateho_AMPERU_vyvojarum_spektrometru_FRASCAN_II_z_CEITEC_VUT_ce85c6f675.jpg" alt="AMPER: Ceremonial awarding of the Golden AMPER to the developers of the FRASCAN II spectrometer from CEITEC BUT." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_AMPER_Slavnostni_predavani_Zlateho_AMPERU_vyvojarum_spektrometru_FRASCAN_II_z_CEITEC_VUT_ce85c6f675.jpg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1066"></figure>“It is a great honour for us to receive the Golden AMPER award. We had very strong competition, not only from BUT and other universities, but also from industry. We are therefore proud that the result of our many years of effort caught the attention of the jury and won their recognition. We see this as motivation to continue developing cutting-edge devices and as confirmation that devices developed mainly for basic research can compete with the latest industrial innovations,” comments Petr Neugebauer. Together with colleagues who have been involved in the design of FRASCAN II, he will be available at the fair until Thursday, when this year’s AMPER officially ends.“I am very pleased that the team's efforts have been awarded, but above all, with the fact that our University is successfully promoting its applied results in the field of high technology. There is perhaps nothing more motivating than being recognised by a renowned professional community. I congratulate the whole team on winning the award for this unique product,” Ladislav Janíček commented on the success of his colleagues.

Revolutionary spectrometer developed by CEITEC BUT team wins Golden AMPER 2025 award

He originally wanted to be a doctor but decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and pursue physics while still in high school. Just like him, Oleksii Laguta, therefore, joined Taras Shevchenko University in Kyiv and began to study materials using spectroscopy. It was research in this field that eventually brought him to the Czech Republic, specifically to CEITEC VUT, where he is now working on projects in the field of electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) together with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/articles?search=Petr+Neugebauer">Petr Neugebauer</a>.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_BUT_Oleksii_Laguta_2_adf7fb1c55.jpg" alt="CEITEC BUT: Oleksii Laguta" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_BUT_Oleksii_Laguta_2_adf7fb1c55.jpg 221w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1129"><h4>Both medicine and physics are exciting and scientifically promising fields. What was the moment that finally decided that you would focus on matter and its composition instead of healing people?</h4>We have a lot of doctors in my family, so I was around that environment from a young age, and even at the end of primary school, before I went to high school, I was convinced that I would become a doctor too. But my dad is a physicist, so we had a lot of books and encyclopaedias at home. And as I started to read them all, I actually started to like physics, and around this time, I realized that I wanted to pursue it more than medicine. But my dad didn’t put any pressure on me with physics; he let me find my way. But as you can see, there is no denying the genes, and now I’m in pretty much the same field as him. My dad works at the Institute of Physics of the CAS, and we are currently collaborating on a project.<h4>Which one?</h4>Our topic is related to quantum computing. We’re trying to find a way to control the spin of the electron with an electric field. One of the most promising types of qubits, which are units of quantum information, is based on the spin of the electron and can usually only be controlled by a magnetic field. But that requires an electric current (which is energetically inefficient) and slows down the process. We would therefore like to find a way to manipulate the spin of an electron using an electric field. Which is problematic because an electric field does not interact directly with spin. And so many scientists, including us, are wondering how to find a way to make the spin of the electron sensitive to it.<h4>Why did you choose atomic physics out of all the possible fields? What attracted you to this field?</h4>This field combines two worlds, our ordinary one and the quantum one. Most research looks at materials through the lens of classical physics, where certain laws apply, but quantum mechanics plays by a completely different set of rules. In fact, quantum physics completely contradicts almost all of our experiences and ideas about how the world works, and that’s what I find incredibly fascinating about it. That’s why I decided to pursue spectroscopy and, by extension, high-frequency electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR). Because when you study materials and their structure, you are looking at the very basic building blocks of matter, and therefore you can try to better understand how our world really works.<h4>Working in science is very time-consuming, and I suppose exploring the quantum world is no exception. So what does your typical working day look like?</h4>Well, things have been very chaotic in the last few months, as I’ve been mainly writing reports for projects and writing proposals for new ones. But otherwise, my day normally starts at 9 AM in the lab where I work with students. I either help them with their experiments or do my own projects. If I manage to spend at least half a day in the lab, I consider it a success. When we prepare the samples and wait for them to cool down to the right temperature -200 to -270˚C, I have time for administration. But sometimes it is more sitting at the computer in the office than standing in the lab with the instruments, because part of my job is, of course, processing and analysing the measured data, i.e., comparing what I find with mathematical models and simulations.<h4>However, you didn’t fully explore ESR as part of your PhD studies at the University of Lille in France. You used magneto-optical spectroscopy to investigate the properties of materials, right?</h4>Yes, in my PhD project I focused on the magnetooptical properties of bismuth-doped silica glasses, a promising material for optical fibres and lasers in the near-infrared spectral region. Everyone is probably familiar with the fiber optic cable internet; data transmission using optical fibers is probably the most common application. In my case, however, it was more of basic research, where other people and I in the team were looking at, for example, whether our material has suitable properties for such transmission. But I also worked on elucidating the origin of emission bands responsible for lasing in the near-infrared.<h4>How did you get from magneto-optical spectroscopy to electron spin resonance spectroscopy?</h4>After my PhD, I was looking for a "postdoc" position, so I first asked colleagues and friends if they knew of anything interesting. And I found out about the possibility to collaborate with Peter Neugebauer at the University of Stuttgart. Subsequently, we met together to learn more about his projects in the field of electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Of course, I knew about this method and had used it to some extent in my PhD project. And as I was intrigued by his research, I found myself in Germany and started to work with him on the ESR method, even though the work at terahertz frequencies in particular was basically new to me. In 2019, I followed him to CEITEC BUT in Brno, and within the magneto-optical and THz spectroscopy research group that Petr leads, among other things, I’m trying to improve the THz-frequencies ESR method in some way and bring it closer to the scientific communities outside of large ESR-focused labs. Because not every department can afford to work with high-frequency ESR for financial reasons, the instruments are very expensive and require trained personnel.<h4>Is that why you have spent the last five years working on the development of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/article/5249">FRASCAN II spectrometer, which has now won the AMPER 2025 Gold Award</a>?</h4>In principle, yes, because this 329 GHz electron spin resonance spectrometer can significantly expand the capabilities of chemistry and biology labs utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Firstly, it brings high-frequency ESR to such labs at a fraction of the cost since the most expensive item, a superconducting magnet, is already available as a part of the NMR spectrometer. Secondly, it allows simultaneous ESR and NMR measurements of liquid samples. This is a necessary part of the so-called dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) – a promising technique for improving NMR. In addition, this innovative spectrometer can perform so-called fast frequency scans at speeds of up to 10^16 Hz per second. And it is probably its uniqueness and innovativeness that convinced the expert jury at AMPER, although unlike other exhibits that can go straight to market, our spectrometer is still in the functional prototype stage.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CEITEC_BUT_Oleksii_Laguta_b18b8f7f94.jpg" alt="CEITEC BUT: Oleksii Laguta" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CEITEC_BUT_Oleksii_Laguta_b18b8f7f94.jpg 201w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1242"><h4>In what applications can such a device be used?</h4>Because of the just-mentioned DNP, it will undoubtedly find its place in biological laboratories, as it is extremely suitable for studying the properties of proteins in their natural environment, for example. Proteins are large molecules with very complex structures. Conventional methods of investigation are rather tedious and have their limits in terms of sensitivity. By enhancing NMR signals, the whole method will not only be faster, but at the same time, its sensitivity will be increased. So the instrument can then be used on a wider range of samples. And thanks to the fast frequency scanning function, we can again study the properties of electron spin relaxation at microwave frequencies around 329 GHz.<h4>The FRASCAN II spectrometer operates at frequencies about 100 times higher than those used in mobile phones. I assume that the higher the frequency, the higher the efficiency and, therefore, the better the results, right?</h4>Yes, it is. Usually, if you go to higher frequencies in spectroscopy, the efficiency and sensitivity of the instrument increase. We can then measure smaller or significantly diluted samples with it, which is critically important, especially in the structural biology research already mentioned. Which brings me back a little bit to the beginning. Such devices are demanding both financially and in terms of personnel. In addition, there are materials that we simply cannot measure at lower frequencies because they are not sensitive to them. In other words, if we subject samples of these materials to examination at low frequencies, we find nothing. Therefore, in some cases, scientists have no choice but to work with ESR at high frequencies, and if they do not have such an instrument, it is a significant complication for their research.<h4>Now I’m very curious. What materials can’t be studied except using high-frequency ESR?</h4>These are, for example, single-molecule magnets – organic molecules with embedded one or more paramagnetic ions (transition and rare earth metals). Below a certain temperature, we call it the blocking temperature, magnetic interactions cause these molecules to behave as magnets, hence the name, meaning they possess a magnetic moment even at zero magnetic field. Above this temperature, they show properties of normal paramagnets. And now I come to the point. There is an idea to use these molecules in data storage devices. Because each molecule can store one bit of information, we can expect a capacity hundreds of times larger than that of ordinary hard drives. The main complication here is that researchers still cannot achieve blocking temperatures higher than 100 K (-173˚C). Interestingly, single-molecule magnets also exhibit quantum phenomena, which make them promising candidates for qubits. Well, this gets to the heart of the matter – quantum bits from such molecules can only be studied using high-frequency ESR devices.<h4>Let's go back to the FRASCAN II spectrometer for a moment. You can use the fast frequency scanning method to study the properties of electron spins. But what makes your method so unique?</h4>Simply put, the FRASCAN II spectrometer overcomes one very limiting technical issue – we do not have enough microwave power to do pulse experiments at 329 GHz. You see, usually, to study dynamic properties of the electron spin, we apply to a sample very strong (hundreds of watts) and short pulses of microwaves and monitor the spins’ response. Instead, our device uses a fast sweep of the excitation microwave frequency over the ESR line. And when the frequency sweep reaches a high enough speed, distinct oscillations appear in the ESR spectrum, which carry information about the electron spin relaxation time. This information is important in investigating suitable qubit candidates, where we look for molecules for which one of the parameters is a relaxation time in the micro- to millisecond interval. And this is possible even with microwave power as low as a few milliwatts.<h4>We talk about qubits, which are central to quantum computers. How do you see our “quantum” future?</h4>That’s a good question. There are still a few unresolved questions in quantum physics, and it’s hard to know today when, if ever, they will be answered. It is quite possible that someone will eventually come up with a completely different idea that is more comprehensive than the current quantum theory. If we look at it from the angle of quantum computers, which are actually an application of this theory, that is where I think we will see a breakthrough in the next few decades, especially in combination with the use of artificial intelligence.<h4>But if I let my imagination run wild, such a connection could also mean the endangerment or extinction of humanity. Aren’t you worried about such a scenario?</h4>I think the merger itself is neither good nor bad. It just is, and those who make it good or bad are always people. Nuclear power is a good example. We can use it for good purposes, such as generating electricity, but we can also basically misuse it to make atomic bombs and kill. Moreover, quantum computers have more or less very limited usability, which goes hand in hand with an absolutely astronomical price tag. This technology is suitable for solving certain tasks, typically complex mathematical operations, but for the general public, it is, and will be for a long time to come, completely unusable. I’m not saying that this may not change in the future, but I’m not sure whether to worry about it now.<h4>Have you ever thought about moving in slightly different directions within the field of spectroscopy?</h4>As a scientist, I never stay still; I am constantly moving around and trying to broaden my topics and approach problems from different angles. But moving to, say, Live Science to working with biological samples in ESR, that I am not considering. If only because I have other projects related to quantum technologies. Like the one I’ve already talked about that deals with electron spin control using an electric field, which I’m working on with my father.

Exploring the quantum world is fascinating, says the scientist behind the development of a unique spectrometer

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Je výzkumné centrum zaměřené na oblast živých věd, pokročilých materiálů a technologií.  Vznikl v roce 2011 na základech šesti významných brněnských univerzit a výzkumných institucí. Od doby jeho nedávného vzniku se daří budovat významné vědecké centrum, a již nyní se řadí mezi špičkové evropské instituce.

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