Age–momentum correlation measurements of positron annihilation in water: Possibility of quantum beats on ortho-positronium reactions

Quantum beats were detected in the reaction of electron-spin-correlated pairs of ortho-positronium and hydroxyl radical. Singlet ortho-positronium and hydroxyl radical pairs were generated in positron radiolysis of water molecules. The singlet–triplet transition caused via the hyperfine coupling of every radical affects the rate of the radical reaction, and then affects the rate of the competing reaction, the spin conversion reaction between ortho-positronium and hydroxyl radical. Spin conversion of ortho-positronium can possibly be detected using positron annihilation age–momentum correlation (AMOC) measurements, and time resolved annihilation gamma-ray energy distribution observed using AMOC measurements did successfully reveal quantum beats in water.