EPR g factors and tetragonal distortion for the isoelectronic Ni and Cu centers in the CuGaSe2 crystal

The EPR g factors, g_|| and g_⊥, for the isoelectronic 3d⁹ ions Ni⁺ and Cu²⁺ at the tetragonal Cu⁺ site of the CuGaSe₂ crystal are calculated from the high-order perturbation formulas based on a two-spin-orbit-parameter model. In the model, both the contributions to g factors from the spin-orbit parameter of central 3d⁹ ion and that of ligand ion are contained. The calculated results appear to be consistent with the experimental values. The tetragonal distortions (characterized by θ−θ₀, where θ is the angle between the metal-ligand bond and C₄ axis, and θ₀≈54.74° is the same angle in cubic symmetry) of Ni⁺ and Cu²⁺ centers, which are different from the corresponding angle in the host CuGaSe₂ crystal and from impurity to impurity, are obtained from the calculations. The difference of the sign of g_||−g_⊥ between the isoelectronic Ni⁺ and Cu²⁺ centers is found to be due to the different tetragonal distortions of both centers in the CuGaSe₂ crystal.