Molecular self-organization of Ho<Superscript>3+</Superscript> impurity ions in synthetic forsterite

The structure of paramagnetic centers formed by impurity Ho³⁺ ions in synthetic forsterite is studied by submillimeter EPR spectroscopy in the frequency range 65–200 GHz. It is found that Ho³⁺ enters into the Mg²⁺ sublattice in the form of single ions and dimer centers. The concentration of dimer centers considerably exceeds the concentration of single ions, which points to the molecular self-organization of Ho³⁺ impurity ions into dimers during the growing of the crystals from melt. Possible structures of the dimer center are discussed. The parameters of the effective spin Hamiltonian describing the behavior of the electron-nuclear sublevels of the two lowest electronic levels of the Ho³⁺⁵I₈ ground multiplet are determined for a single ion and a dimer center.     

Manifestation of the Hanle effect in submillimeter EPR spectroscopy of thulium impurity ions in synthetic forsterite

A signal related to the spin level crossing in a zero magnetic field—the Hanle effect—has been registered for the first time in the EPR spectrum. It has been shown that, in the general case, the shape of the signal is determined by two qualitatively different mechanisms: (i) the interference of unsteady-state contributions to the dynamics of atomic coherences (electric or magnetic quantum transition moments with certain phases) with close frequencies (“beats at a zero frequency”) and (ii) the summation of resonant signals determined by the steady-state dynamics of the same atomic coherences. The relaxation time of spin coherences has been determined for the EPR transition of Tm³⁺ ions in synthetic forsterite.     

Anisotropic hyperfine structure in the EPR spectrum of impurity ions in single crystals

Expressions are obtained for the hyperfine splitting in EPR spectra of impurity ions with electron spin 1/2 and arbitrary nuclear spin for arbitrary anisotropy of the g-factor and hyperfine structure constants. These results generalize the previously obtained results of Weil for the case of weakly anisotropic g-factors and hyperfine structure constants. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 1026–1027 (June 1999)     

EPR characterization of Mn impurity ions in PbWO4 single crystals

The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) properties of the Mn²⁺ ions in PbWO₄ single crystals grown by the Czochralski method have been investigated in the X-band microwave frequency, at T=20 K. The angular dependence of the EPR line positions obtained by rotating the magnetic field in the main crystallographic planes shows that the local symmetry at the Mn²⁺ impurity ions is tetragonal, strongly suggesting that the Mn²⁺ ions substitute for the Pb²⁺ lattice cations, without charge compensation. The resulting spin Hamiltonian parameters compare well with the corresponding values for the Mn²⁺ ions in other isomorphous tungstates. The observed strong angular variation of the EPR linewidth has been quantitatively described considering a random distribution of lattice strains.     

Multifrequency EPR spectroscopy of Ho3+ ions in synthetic forsterite

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) of Ho³⁺ single ions and Ho³⁺?Mg²⁺-vacancy-Ho³⁺ associates in holmium-doped forsterite single crystals are studied at 9.4, 37.3 and 65–250 GHz. Crystals were grown from melt by the Czochralski technique in slightly oxidizing atmosphere. For both centers, directions of the principal magnetic axes and parameters of the effective spin Hamiltonians describing dependences of electron-nuclear levels on applied magnetic field are obtained. For Ho³⁺ substituting Mg²⁺ in the M2 site as the single ion and for Ho³⁺ ions in dimer centers, values of crystal field parameters related to a real crystal lattice structure are estimated in the framework of the exchange charge model. The calculated crystal field energies, values of theg-factors of the ground Ho³⁺ quasi-doublet and the directions of the corresponding magnetic moments agree satisfactorily with the data obtained from measurements of EPR and optical absorption and site-selective luminescence spectra.     

Observation of electric quadrupole spin resonance of Ho<Superscript>3+</Superscript> impurity ions in synthetic forsterite

The anomalous dependence of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) line shape on the microwave power in the resonator has been found when studying the continuous-wave EPR spectra of impurity holmium ions in synthetic forsterite on an ELEXSYS E 580 EPR spectrometer. The power-threshold transition from the conventional lines being the derivatives of the spectral line contours to the spectral line contours themselves has been observed as the power increased. The properties of the anomalous EPR lines are qualitatively explained assuming that the resonance electric quadrupole transitions take place between the electron spin levels.     

High-frequency tunable EPR spectroscopy of Tm3+ ions in synthetic forsterite

Paramagnetic centers formed by impurity Tm³⁺ ions in synthetic forsterite Mg₂SiO₄ were studied by high-frequency tunable electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy in the frequency range of 150–315 GHz. Crystals were grown from the melt by the Czochralski technique in slightly oxidizing atmosphere. Several centers distinguished by different zero-field splitting between the ground and first excited singlets were found and investigated. Parameters of the effective spin Hamiltonian for these centers describing the dependence of electron-nuclear sublevels on magnetic field were determined.     

Properties of ytterbium aluminum garnet (YbAG) single crystals

The optical centers arising in yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) upon introduction of ytterbium ions are considered. Data are presented on the formation of these centers as a function of ytterbium concentration. The point defects arising in ytterbium aluminum garnet (YbAG) upon heat treatment in vacuo and in oxidizing atmosphere are considered. Data are presented on the spectra of 3d transition metal ions in the YbAG lattice; theoretical results concerning the energy states of these ions in the given lattice are considered.Translated from Izvestiya VUZ. Fizika, No. 12, pp. 88–91, December, 1971.     

Epitactic formation of forsterite on MgO single crystals during vacuum annealing

Specimens of {0 0 1} MgO, prepared for analysis in the transmission electron microscope (TEM), have been heated in situ in a conventional TEM in order to study the effect of different heat treatments on the surface of the MgO specimens. A previous study, using a similar in situ heat treatment of MgO, found that at elevated temperatures (∼500 K) a film of different structure and composition formed on the surface of the sample. The previous study concluded that the composition and structure corresponded to that of MgO₂. In the present study, similar results to those shown previously have been found. However, the interpretation of these results is quite different. The films are shown to be of a composition and crystal structure that is consistent with forsterite, Mg₂SiO₄. The films can form as a result of contamination during the high-temperature in situ annealing process.     

ENDOR and transferred hyperfine interaction of impurity rare-earth ions with nearest diamagnetic ions in crystals

The tetragonal Er³⁺ ion associated with the interstitial F^? ion along the [100] axis in CaF₂ is studied using ENDOR. The parameters of the transferred hyperfine interaction and of the nuclear Zeeman interaction of the surrounding fluorine ions are determined. Anomalously large values of the pseudo-nuclear Zeeman effect on the F^? nuclei are found. The theoretical analysis of these parameters is carried out in a frame of operator techniques in the theory of transferred hyperfine interactions. A number of useful relations for practical calculations of the values of the local field at ligand nuclei are reported.     

Sound velocity in single crystals of synthetic opals

The [111] longitudinal sound velocity (v _L) in a single-crystal synthetic opal has been measured at a frequency of 10 MHz in the temperature range 4.2–300 K. At 300 K, v _L=2.1×10⁵ cm/s. The quantity dv _L/v _{300 K}(T) (where v _T,K?v_{300 K}) in the ranges 4.2–200 and 200–300 K behaves in the way typical of amorphous and crystalline solids, respectively.