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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Experimental Methods for Spin- and Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy Combined with Polarization-Variable Laser
Published on: June 28, 2018
Quantum oscillations and polarization of nuclear spins in photoexcited triplet states
Gerd Kothe1, Tomoaki Yago, Jörg-Ulrich Weidner
1Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Freiburg, Albertstrasse 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany. gerd.kothe@physchem.uni-freiburg.de
Abstract:
The unique physical properties of photoexcited triplet states have been explored in numerous spectroscopic studies employing electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). So far, however, no quantum interference effects were found in these systems in the presence of a magnetic field. In this study, we report the successful EPR detection of nuclear quantum oscillations in an organic triplet state subject to an external magnetic field. The observed quantum coherences can be rationalized using an analytical theory. Analysis suggests that the nuclear spins are actively involved in the intersystem crossing process. The novel mechanism also acts as a source of oscillatory nuclear spin polarization that gives rise to large signal enhancement in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). This opens new perspectives for the analysis of chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization in mechanistic studies of photoactive proteins.
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