Magnetic properties of optically excited states of colour centres

Abstract

A review is given of recent developments in the study of magnetic (localized) photo-excitations in ionic solids. Emphasis will be on three topics: (i) the importance of magnetic properties in the structural characterization of defects, (ii) photo-chemical reactions as revealed from magnetic interactions in point defects, and (iii) energy and phase relaxation dynamics in photo-excited colour centres as probed from magnetic transients. In our survey we will focus on defects photo-excited to phosphorescent triplet states. In discussing a number of dynamical processes, some attention is given to the application of (optical-microwave) coherence spectroscopy which holds considerable promise for future work.