SPIN-LATTICE RELAXATION OF Fe0 IN SILICON.

An experimental and theoretical investigation was made of the spin-lattice relaxation (SLR) of interstitial iron atoms in silicon. The constants of the spin-phonon interaction in Si:Fe**0 were determined. The simultaneous action of the electron-phonon and the spin-orbit interactions was considered as the SLR mechanism. A comparison with the experimental results yielded the electron-phonon interaction for Fe**0. The nature of this interaction was related to the polarizability of the host atoms when the lattice was deformed. The temperature dependence of the SLR rate in the range of two-phonon processes was explained qualitatively.