Electron Spin Resonance

Aim:
To determine the Lande g-factor by the ESR Spectrometer.
Apparatus:
ESR Spectrometer, Helmholtz coil, RF Oscillator, Oscilloscope, DPPH Sample.
Theory:
The electronic energy levels are degenerate. When an external magnetic field is applied, the
degeneracy is lifted and the electronic levels split into sub-levels. Then, transitions between these
sub-levels are possible.
The magnetic moment in the z-direction is given by:
z= g (

2
) Sz = g (

2
) ms = g b ms
Where, b is the Bohr magneton.
g is the Lande g-factor
q is the charge of the electron
m is the mass of the electron
Sz is the spin angular momentum
The magnetic dipole moment of this electron interacts with the uniform magnetic field
E= - z . B , where B is the applied external magnetic field.
We can calculate the energy difference between the two quantum states (namely, spin parallel and
antiparallel to external magnetic field) as:
E = -g b ms cos () (-g b ms cos (0))
= 2g b ms B
= g b B
If we apply a magnetic field the electrons will tend to align themselves parallel to the magnetic field
because that is the low energy state. An excitation of electron from the lower energy state to higher
energy state is possible by providing external energy via light or other em frequencies.
E = = g b B
So, =
g b B

and hence g =
2

Experimental Set-Up:
The first stage of the ESR circuit consists of a critically adjusted radio frequency oscillator. The
sample is kept inside the tank coil of the oscillator, which in turn, is placed in the 50 Hz magnetic
field generated by the Helmholtz coils. At resonance, i.e. when the frequency of oscillation becomes
equal to frequency corresponding to the energy splitting of the sublevels, the oscillator amplitude
registers a dip due to the absorption of power by the sample. This occurs periodically four times in
each complete cycle of the supply voltage of the magnetic field. Low noise, high gain amplifiers are
used to amplify the signal and give the feed to the oscilloscope.
To compensate for the phase lag that might have crept in from the amplifiers a phase shifter is used.
The sample used in our ESR setup is diphenyl-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH). It is a widely used standard in
ESR experiments. It contains a single unpaired electron, whose orbital angular momentum is zero.
So, the electron has only the spin angular momentum, and the material gives a g factor which is
close to 2.0038. One thus has to deal with the simple situation where j = 1/2, and only two sublevels
are involved.
The frequency of radiation is fixed at some and the normally static, magnetic field is swept
between the positive and negative extremes of a maximum field value.
Observations:
The X plate of the CRO is calibrated in terms of magnetic field. The positions of both peaks at
resonance is measured (Q divisions from the center).
Peak to peak distance: D
Table for Current vs Peak to peak distance of the resonance peaks
Current I (A) 1/I (A
-1
) D (divisions)
0.150 6.667 6.8
0.175 5.714 5.6
0.200 5.00 4.8
0.225 4.44 4.4
0.250 4.00 4.0
0.275 3.636 3.2

3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Q
1/I
Q
Intercept = -0.63549, Slope = 1.1074


Slope of I
-1
vs Q is plotted and the slope = Q.I = 1.107
Calculations:
Magnetic field through Helmholtz coil :
No. of turns, N = 500
The radius of the Helmholtz coils in cm r = 7.7 cm
Current passing through the coils, I
B = 0 (
4
5
)
3/2
N (I/r)
Bmax = 2
End to end distance of the peaks, P = 15.6

The peak value of the field (= Bmax) corresponds to P division on the CRO screen. Then if Q be the
peak to peak distance of the observed resonances field corresponding to the resonance will be given
by:

Bmax

Also, the resonance condition gives,
B =

g b

Hence, from the graph we get,
B =(
N 0 82
rP125
) I.Q

B = (
5000.1482
7.714.8125
) * 1.107
= 5.858
g =

b B


g = 1.829
Result: The Lande g-factor for the electron is obtained to be 1.829


Abin Varghese
August 20, 2104