Multiplet-to-net CIDEP conversion by MW-pulses with adiabatically ramped amplitude

ABSTRACT

A method is proposed to manipulate electron spin order of spin-correlated radical pairs. As radical pairs are often born in a well-defined spin state, e.g. in the singlet state, they acquire Chemically Induced Dynamic Electron Polarisation (CIDEP). In the case of singlet-state preparation CIDEP is of the multiplet (or anti-phase) type resulting in reduction of EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) signals due to overlap of absorptive and emissive lines in the spectrum. Here we propose to convert the singlet spin order into net magnetisation of the radical pair by applying a microwave field, with its amplitude slowly (adiabatically) reduced to zero. We demonstrate that by properly choosing the microwave frequency one can completely convert the singlet order into net polarisation of the radical pair with significant enhancement of the signal as compared to multiplet CIDEP. Calculations show that the technique is operative for both weakly coupled and strongly coupled spin pairs. Potential applications of the method are discussed.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Spin hyperpolarisation
• CIDEP
• multiplet polarisation
• spin order conversion

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work has been supported by the Russian Science Foundation (grant number 14-13-01053).