Nanosecond time-resolved magnetic field effect on radical recombination in solution

The time dependence of the magnetic field effect on radical recombination in solution has been analyzed experimentally and theoretically. For the geminate recombination of anthracene anions and dimethylaniline cations in a polar solvent, the effect originates from a magnetic field dependent production of triplet states in an initially singlet phased radical pair, induced by hyperfine interaction of the unpaired electrons with the nuclei. The magnetic field dependence of the triplet yield shows a lifetime broadening of the energy levels of the radical pair if a short delay-time between radical production and triplet observation is chosen. The agreement of this delay-time dependent broadening effect with the theoretical results proves directly the coherence of the spin motion in the radical pairs.