Electron spin resonance spectra forbidden transitions

A six- or four-line ESR spectrum that can be fitted to a triplet spin Hamiltonian is strong evidence that the species in the sample embodies two unpaired electron spins. Support for the presence of a triplet spin system often can be found in the weak Ams = 2 line, which appears at one-half the field strength of the center of gravity of the Ams = 1 six-line pattern. This nominally forbidden Amj = 2 resonance results when the ESR spectrometer field and frequency produce a micro-wave quantum of energy just sufficient to jump the gap between the uppermost and lowermost triplet substates, that is, a transition over two quantum levels. 

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