Electron spin–lattice relaxation of Ni2+

Abstract

The electron spin–lattice relaxation rate by the direct process for Ni2+ in lanthanum magnesium nitrate is surprisingly fast (5 × 103 s−1 at 1.55 °K). Ni2+ is a non-Kramers ion, however, and consequently is strongly coupled to the lattice in most cases. The effective spin triplet and the absence of both hyperfine structure and phonon bottleneck are optimum requirements for a maser material.