Vacancy associated model for anomalous muonium in diamond,silicon and germanium

Through first-principles investigations on a number of models for anomalous muonium in diamond using the Unrestricted Hartree-Fock Cluster procedure, it is demonstrated that a muonium trapped near a double-positively charged vacancy is the most viable model for this center. This model is shown to successfully explain all the observed features of the hyperfine tensors A^⇉ in diamond, silicon and germanium, namely, oblateness, opposite signs of A_│ and A_┼ in diamond and same signs for silicon and germanium, the trend in the strengths of the hyperfine tensors from diamond to germanium and the negative sign for A_┼ in diamond.     

Low-field anomalous muonium depolarization in isotopically enriched germanium

The depolarization rate of anomalous muonium, Mu^*, in germanium isotopically enriched in⁷⁴Ge (I=0) was measured as a function of field. The concentration of⁷³Ge (I=9/2) was about 9 times less than natural abundance. The depolarization rate at 10 K in this isotopically enriched crystal for both lines of those Mu^* centers whose symmetry axes make an angle of 90° to the field is less than 1sec^–1 at all fields down to the lowest one measured, 14.5 gauss. This is in sharp contrast to the wide lines reported at low field in germanium having natural isotopic abundance. The spectrum of Mu^* in the isotopically enriched Ge crystal was also seen at zero field. These results confirm that the increased depolarization rate for Mu^* at low fields arises from unresolved nuclear hyperfine structure. The depolarization rates observed were consistent with an average hyperfine interaction with a single⁷³Ge nucleus of 2.5 MHz, a value requiring nearly 1% of the spin density to be on a typical atom.     

Relaxation of anomalous muonium in silicon

The relaxation rate ^* of anomalous muonium in silicon with different dopant concentrations was investigated as a function of temperature. Below 140 K, a close correlation between ^* and the concentration of conduction electrons was found. We conclude from this behavior that the relaxation of anomalous muonium in this temperature region is caused by the scattering of conduction electrons. A microscopic model is developed and the value of the exchange interactionJ _ex is derived.The financial support of the Bundesminister für Forschung und Technologie is gratefully acknowledged.     

The electronicg-factor anisotropy determined from measurements near the magic field of anomalous muonium in silicon and germanium

The field dependences of the anomalous muoniumSR frequencies have been measured in Si and Ge around the magic field. The results show a clear electronicg-factor anisotropy exists for Ge withg _¦-g₁=0.033, while that of Si is much smaller and essentially zero within the experimental accuracy.Work supported by National Science Foundation Grant DMR-79-09223.     

On the kinetics of anomalous muonium in silicon

The spin relaxation rate of anomalous muonium in a longitudinal magnetic field was measured in a silicon single crystal. The results are treated as the diffusion of anomalous muonium in a silicon crystal.     

Temperature dependence of the hyperfine parameters of anomalous muonium in germanium

The temperature variation of the anomalous muonium hyperfine interaction in germanium has been measured between 5 and 100 K. The results show that the component perpendicular to the defect axis decreases, while the parallel component increases with increasing temperature. These effects are a result of the interaction of anomalous muonium with the germanium host phonons.Work supported by National Science Foundation Grant DMR-79-09223.     

Preliminary calculations confirming that anomalous muonium in diamond and silicon is bond-centered interstitial muonium

The model of anomalous muonium as bond-centered interstitial muonium has been examined by approximate ab-initio Hartree-Fock calculations in diamond and silicon and found to be in excellent agreement with experiment.     

Hydrogen and muonium in silicon

First principles calculations of the properties of hydrogen and muonium in silicon are presented. H⁺ and H⁻ are shown to have definite preferences for bond-centred and tetrahedral interstitial sites respectively whereas H⁰ (or a muon) is shown to be stable at two sites with almost equal energies, the bond-centred and antibonding sites. The structures of normal and isotropic muonium are discussed. In contrast to common belief the tetrahedral site is shown to be unstable with the muon moving spontaneously towards one of the neighbouring silicon atoms. The barrier to motion between equivalent antibonding sites is low suggesting that the normal muonium signal is isotropic because of motional averaging, not due to the symmetry of a well defined equilibrium site.     

Effects of electronically neutral impurities on muonium in germanium

Low-temperature measurements of muonium parameters in various germanium crystals have been performed. We have measured crystals with different levels of neutral impurities, with and without dislocations, and with different annealing histories. The most striking result is the apparent trapping of Mu by silicon impurities in germanium.     

Quadrupole moment of muonium and hyperfine structure of muonium levels in silicon

It is shown that experimental data on Mu¹ in silicon are most satisfactorily described by the uniaxial symmetric spin hamiltonian which means muonium displacement from the octa-cell center.     

Electron irradiation effects on muonium states in silicon

Normal and anomalous muonium were studied in electron irradiated silicon. We found that the two muonium states behave very differently: For normal muonium, the relaxation rate increases if the sample is irradiated whereas it decreases for anomalous muonium. Possible explanations for these processes are discussed.