Nuclear Spin Relaxation of Pr3+ in YAlO3

Abstract

The decay rates of the nuclear spin polarization of Pr^(3+) in a YAlO_3 matrix were measured in the temperature range 3-9 K by time-resolved spectral hole burning and simultaneous radio-frequency irradiation. In the low-temperature limit, diffusion of spin polarization to other regions of the inhomogeneously broadened optical line dominates the relaxation. At higher temperature, thermally activated multiple phonon processes become dominant.