NUCLEAR QUADRUPOLE RESONANCE STUDIES IN CUPROUS OXIDE

Abstract

The ⁶³Cu and ⁶⁵Cu pure nuclear quadrupole resonance transitions have been investigated in a powder sample of cuprous oxide from 4.2 °K to 298 °K. The observed decrease in resonance frequency with increasing temperature is discussed in terms of the theory developed by Bayer and Kushida. The spin-lattice relaxation-time measurements above 20.4 °K are interpreted in terms of a coupling of the lattice phonons to the nuclear quadrupole moments via two phonon Raman processes. A rough estimate of the Debye temperature is made. The measured relaxation times at 4.2 °K are an order of magnitude shorter than predicted by the spin-phonon mechanism. Two other mechanisms are discussed: (i) a coupling of the spins to torsional oscillations; (ii) a coupling of the spins to paramagnetic impurities.