EPR studies on the di-nitrogen centers with nonequivalent atoms in a reddish-brown plastically deformed diamond

Two new di-nitrogen centers, which were labeled M2 and M3, were found together with known W7 and N4 centers in an unusual reddish-brown natural diamond. The following magnetic hyperfine interaction parameters (expressed in MHz) were determined for the two nitrogen atoms:A ₁ ⁽¹⁾ =117.95(5),A ₁ ⁽²⁾ =A ₁ ⁽³⁾ =84.48(5),A ₂ ⁽¹⁾ =7.1(1),A ₂ ⁽²⁾ =A ₂ ⁽³⁾ =6.6(1) for M2 andA ₁ ⁽¹⁾ =121.55(5),A ₁ ⁽²⁾ =A ₁ ⁽³⁾ =85.90(5),A ₂ ⁽¹⁾ =6.0(1),A ₂ ⁽²⁾ =5.4(1),A ₂ ⁽³⁾ =5.1(1) for M3. Hyperfine interaction tensors for the nitrogen atom N₁ with a larger interaction have axial symmetry about the <111> direction, but those for the other nitrogen atom, N₂, appear to be small, almost isotropic. Probable models of the M2 and M3 centers are suggested and discussed.