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Related Concept Videos

Atomic Nuclei: Types of Nuclear Relaxation01:28

Atomic Nuclei: Types of Nuclear Relaxation

Nuclear relaxation restores the equilibrium population imbalance and can occur via spin–lattice or spin–spin mechanisms, which are first-order exponential decay processes.
In spin–lattice or longitudinal relaxation, the excited spins exchange energy with the surrounding lattice as they return to the lower energy level. Among several mechanisms that contribute to spin–lattice relaxation, magnetic dipolar interactions are significant. Here, the excited nucleus transfers energy to a nearby...
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Relaxation Processes01:23

Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Relaxation Processes

In the absence of an external magnetic field, nuclear spin states are degenerate and randomly oriented. When a magnetic field is applied, the spins begin to precess and orient themselves along (lower energy) or against (higher energy) the direction of the field. At equilibrium, a slight excess population of spins exists in the lower energy state. Because the direction of the magnetic field is fixed as the z-axis,  the precessing magnetic moments are randomly oriented around the z-axis. This...
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Overview01:03

Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Overview

NMR-active nuclei have energy levels called 'spin states' that are associated with the orientations of their nuclear magnetic moments. In the absence of a magnetic field, the nuclear magnetic moments are randomly oriented, and the spin states are degenerate. When an external magnetic field is applied, the spin states have only 2 + 1 orientations available to them. A proton with = ½ has two available orientations. Similarly, for a quadrupolar nucleus with a nuclear spin value of one, the...
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Population Distribution01:14

Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Population Distribution

Near absolute zero temperatures, in the presence of a magnetic field, the majority of nuclei prefer the lower energy spin-up state to the higher energy spin-down state. As temperatures increase, the energy from thermal collisions distributes the spins more equally between the two states. The Boltzmann distribution equation gives the ratio of the number of spins predicted in the spin −½ (N−) and spin +½ (N+) states.
Atomic Nuclei: Magnetic Resonance01:05

Atomic Nuclei: Magnetic Resonance

The number of nuclear spins aligned in the lower energy state is slightly greater than those in the higher energy state. In the presence of an external magnetic field, as the spins precess at the Larmor frequency, the excess population results in a net magnetization oriented along the z axis. When a pulse or a short burst of radio waves at the Larmor frequency is applied along the x axis, the coupling of frequencies causes resonance and flips the nuclear spins of the excess population from the...
NMR Spectrometers: Resolution and Error Correction01:14

NMR Spectrometers: Resolution and Error Correction

When magnetic nuclei in a sample achieve resonance and undergo relaxation, the signal detected in NMR is an approximately exponential free induction decay. Fourier transform of an exponential decay yields a Lorentzian peak in the frequency domain. Lorentzian peaks in an NMR spectrum are defined by their amplitude, full width at half maximum, and position, where the peak width is governed by the spin-spin relaxation time alone. In real experiments, however, the applied magnetic field is rendered...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Measuring the Spin-Lattice Relaxation Magnetic Field Dependence of Hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate
11:57

Measuring the Spin-Lattice Relaxation Magnetic Field Dependence of Hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate

Published on: September 13, 2019

Electron spin relaxation at low field.

Per-Olof Westlund1, Håkan Wennerström

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Biological Chemistry, Umeå University, SE 901 87 UMEA, Sweden. per-Olof.westlund@chem.umu.se

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP
|December 22, 2009
PubMed
Summary

This study confirms that electron spin correlation functions share a single relaxation time under specific conditions. This finding validates previous conjectures and aids in understanding electron spin relaxation mechanisms.

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Site Directed Spin Labeling and EPR Spectroscopic Studies of Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels
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Site Directed Spin Labeling and EPR Spectroscopic Studies of Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels

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Measuring the Spin-Lattice Relaxation Magnetic Field Dependence of Hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate
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Site Directed Spin Labeling and EPR Spectroscopic Studies of Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels
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Site Directed Spin Labeling and EPR Spectroscopic Studies of Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels

Published on: July 4, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Chemical Physics
  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Spectroscopy

Background:

  • Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy is crucial for studying paramagnetic species.
  • Understanding electron spin-lattice relaxation is key to interpreting ESR lineshapes.
  • Zero-field splitting (ZFS) significantly influences relaxation mechanisms in low-symmetry systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To calculate low-field ESR lineshape and electron spin-lattice relaxation correlation functions for S=1 systems.
  • To investigate the role of axially symmetric ZFS as a dominant relaxation mechanism.
  • To confirm theoretical conjectures regarding electron spin relaxation times.

Main Methods:

  • Stochastic Liouville theory was employed to model the system.
  • Calculations focused on conditions where ZFS is large compared to rotational diffusion.
  • Electron spin correlation functions S(0)S(t) (n=0,1) were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Both electron spin correlation functions exhibit a single relaxation time, tau(S) = (4D(R))(-1).
  • This result confirms prior numerical findings and theoretical conjectures.
  • The stochastic Liouville approach accurately predicts nuclear spin relaxation times and ESR lineshape.

Conclusions:

  • The study validates the unified relaxation time for electron spin correlation functions under dominant ZFS.
  • The findings are applicable to interpreting low-field ESR spectra, particularly for low-symmetry Ni(II) complexes.
  • L-band ESR spectra can reveal information about molecular reorientation and electron spin relaxation.