METHOD OF MEASURING THE HAM REDUCTION FACTOR-Q IN C3V MOLECULES

This paper applies to molecules which have (i) a doubly degenerate electronic state in C3v symmetry, (ii) a single unpaired electron, (iii) a dynamic Jahn-Teller effect, (iv) spin-orbit coupling less than the Jahn-Teller active vibrational frequency, and (v) nonzero magnetic moments for the equivalent nuclei. Two Fermi contact terms can be measured in the hyperfine interaction of such molecules. A proof is given that the ratio of the Fermi contact terms is the Ham reduction factor q. Recent measurements for CH 3O and CH3S are compared to the predictions of this paper. © 1990 American Institute of Physics.