ESR Study of Manganese-Doped α-Zinc Silicate Crystals

Abstract

Single crystals of dilute manganese‐doped α‐Zn2SiO4 have been grown hydrothermally and from the melt. ESR spectra have been examined at 9.5 and 35 Gc/sec. Results are interpreted in terms of Mn2+ at two environmentally different sites, having D parameters 729±8 and 413±4 G and E parameters 170±5 and 135±5 G, respectively. The relative population of the two sites appears to be independent of total manganese concentration or method of crystal growth. It is believed that the two sites correspond to substitution of Mn2+ for Zn2+ at two crystallographically nonequivalent zinc positions in the willemite structure.