Electron Spin Relaxation of Cu(II) Ions in ZnGeF$\text{}_{6}$·6H$\text{}_{2}$O Crystal with Strong Jahn-Teller Effect

Cu$\text{}^{2+}$ ions doped to ZnGeF$\text{}_{6}$·6H$\text{}_{2}$O substitute the host Zn$\text{}^{2+}$ ions and undergo a strong Jahn-Teller effect producing nearly axial elongation of the Cu(H$\text{}_{2}$O)$\text{}_{6}$ octahedra with equal population of the three possible deformations at low temperatures as shown by the EPR spectra. Reorientations between these distorted configurations are observed as a continuous shift of EPR lines leading to averaging of the g- and A-tensors. The full averaging is observed at the phase transition temperature 200 K. Electron spin relaxation was measured up to 45 K only, where the electron spin echo signal was detectable. Electron spin-lattice relaxation is governed by the Raman two-phonon process allowing to determine the Debye temperature asΘ$\text{}_{D}$=99 K. There is no contribution of the Jahn-Teller dynamics to the spin-lattice relaxation rate. Electron spin echo decay is strongly modulated by dipolar coupling to the $\text{}^{1}$H and $\text{}^{19}$F nuclei. The phase memory time is governed by instantaneous diffusion at helium temperatures and then by spin-lattice relaxation processes and excitation to the first vibronic level of energyΔ=151 cm$\text{}^{-1}$.